Reports show that 47% of households rely on natural gas heating in winter. While 36% of households rely on electricity to keep their home warm during these months. During winter, the last thing you want to deal with is a furnace repair. This can be very costly, and companies are often overbooked during this time.

Because it can be so difficult to get heating and cooling maintenance during winter, it is best to prevent this. You can do this by maintaining your furnace system year-round.

Keep reading to find out how to avoid furnace repair by doing these small things.

Schedule Maintenance

One of the most important things you can do is to schedule maintenance for your furnace. AC and heating tuneup options are always ideal rather than waiting until a repair is necessary.

Most repairs can easily be avoided by simply maintaining your furnace. If you maintain it, issues will be spotted long before they become severe and get out of hand.

In general, homeowners should schedule maintenance once a year. You can do this by looking up heating near me online to find local companies.

Regular maintenance is also a good idea as it helps to catch issues that do need to be repaired. The expert will be able to see any issues when they go to perform maintenance.

These issues can be quickly repaired so that they do not start to damage your furnace. This can be a huge money saver in the long run since repairs are much more expensive.

You should have a schedule every year where you have maintenance. This will help you to stay on track and make sure you get this done before winter hits and your furnace is in full use.

Change the Filter

Something that many people forget to do is to change their furnace filter. Changing the filter is going to be the number one way you can maintain it during winter.

Winter in Friendswood, Texas, can be busy for AC and heating companies. You want to take care of your furnace as much as you can so that it stays functional during this time.

Furnace repair will be necessary if you do not change your filter regularly. Most experts recommend homeowners change their furnace filter once every 2 to 3 months.

The filter is what catches all of the dust and debris that is circulating through your home. Not only does this help your furnace, it helps your indoor air quality.

If that filter remains unchanged, it will start to put a strain on your furnace. It will be harder for the furnace to push out warm air, which will lead to issues later on.

This is a very simple issue to avoid having if you have a schedule where you change the filter. It only takes a few minutes and only needs to be done a few times a year.

Use Moderate Heat

Some Texans make the mistake of cranking up their heating during winter. It can be hard to not do this, especially during colder winters that you may not be used to.

But if you crank up the heat in your home too much, this can be a bad thing. You will definitely need heating and cooling maintenance if you are abusing your furnace.

Especially during very cold days, turning up the heat isn’t always going to help. Turning your thermostat higher is just going to make your furnace work harder during very cold weather.

The temperature you have set may be unrealistic depending on the outside temperature. If this is the case, your furnace will be severely taxed, and it will never be able to reach that temperature.

It is important that you keep your furnace at a realistic temperature for your home. Your temperature manual should also give recommendations for how high you can set it safely.

If this is something you struggle with, you can also rely on other forms of heat. Space heaters can be a good way to warm up individual rooms that are drafty or colder.

Don’t Ignore Changes

One very important tip to remember is to not ignore changes in your furnace. A furnace repair may be necessary if it starts to work differently than it usually does.

There are always going to be warning signs if your furnace is struggling. You must pay attention to this and act immediately instead of procrastinating.

Things you should watch for our strange noises, inaccurate heating, or strange smells. Any kind of little change could signify a bigger issue going on.

It is best to set up an AC and heating tune-up with a professional to see what is going on. The longer you wait, the likelier it is that the issue will continue to get worse and worse.

If you believe that the issue is severe, you should also stop using your furnace immediately. This may be a dangerous issue, and you do not want to continue leaving it to run.

How to Avoid Furnace Repair in Friendswood, TX

With it being winter in Friendswood, Texas, the last thing you want to do is have a furnace repair necessary. The good news is that you can avoid this by maintaining your furnace on your own.

There are small things that you can do to keep your furnace in tip-top condition year-round.

Do you want to schedule a free furnace estimate? Contact us today at P&M HVAC to schedule furnace maintenance in the Houston area.