Forced air furnaces are, by far, the
most popular heating delivery source in Toronto and Mississauga. Modern
furnaces can achieve 90% or more efficiency relative to the fuel it consumes.
Older forced air furnaces are lucky to be 70% efficient. There are a few tricks
to make that old system work the best it can.
Clean your furnace to
yourself
One common problem with all forced air
systems is having obstructions around the return air vents. Return air vents
are essential components to forced air system and allow cycled air to return
back into your furnace. Many people often overlook this area as an opportunity
to improve efficiency. First, locate all of your return air vents. Turn your
furnace or central air conditioner on and feel every vent. All registers that
don't have air coming out are return vents. Next, make sure that all furniture
and home accessories are not blocking the return vents. If you must cover one
of the return vents, try to arrange your furniture to allow part of the
register to be exposed. Lastly, remove all the vents and wash them in a 5
gallon bucket filled with hot water and ammonia or vinegar. You'll be shocked
at how dirty these are. Before you put them back in place, clean the opening
and any exposed ducting you can reach.
