Furnace Not Heating Well? 3 Easy Fixes to Try

Freezing winter temperatures means that our furnaces have to work overtime to keep our homes warm. While furnace systems are generally up to the task of providing warmth, sometimes they don’t heat as well as they should. If your furnace doesn’t seem to be providing enough warmth, here are three things you should check before calling a furnace repairman.

Open the vents. For a furnace to work at maximum efficiency, all the vents throughout the house should be open. It’s easy to tell if a vent is open by peering through the slats. If you can see through to the duct work, the vent is open. If not, the vent is closed and can be opened by moving the grille lever to the opposite direction.

Move obstructions from air returns. Air returns are large grilles found in the ceilings; although in older homes might be found in the walls and floors. These returns draw the cool air into the furnace and then send it back out into your home via the duct work. If the returns are obstructed, the furnace will have to work harder to heat your home. Clearing away obstructions from the air returns means moving furniture, rugs, curtains, toys, and other items that are impeding the flow of air. For returns found in the ceilings or basement, a regular vacuuming will boost performance.

Change out the filter. When one of our renters recently complained about the furnace not heating well, a clogged filter turned out to be the culprit. Filters protect heating and air conditioning units by trapping large particles of dust or debris before they come into contact with the heat exchanger and air conditioner coils. Filters should be replaced at least once a season (read these instructions from IAQSource.com to learn how.) If you regularly burn candles, have a pet, a fireplace or wood stove, or live in a dusty area, the filters will have to be changed more often. Filters can be purchased at any hardware store; if you are unsure of the type of filter to purchase, bring the old one along with you.

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