It pays to think forward when you’re concerned about weather conditions affecting your home. In her article for the food magazine Chatelaine: writer Caroline Cakebread states:
“My father-in-law lived through the war and spent years working in both the Arctic and Antarctic. In the winter, he keeps his thermostat at a chilly low temperature, but it’s not because he prefers the cold — he’s just frugal and old school when it comes to heating. Complain to him about the cold and he’ll tell you in his thick Scottish accent to put on a sweater and run around the block a few times.
For many Canadians, the winter heating bill is a hefty monthly cost. And it’s not getting any cheaper (at least not in our house!). So how can you tame your heating bill without going to Arctic extremes?”
A furnace conk-out is all but a potential nightmare to residents in Toronto, ON. Temperatures in the TO have lows at 7.4 degrees Celsius in October and creep to -3.1 below zero by the end of the year; the windchill snaps in at -7.3C in October but dip to a bone-chilling -33.6C by holiday season. No Toronto resident will also forget how last winter’s polar vortex nearly put the Greater Toronto Area to a standstill. When the events of that season of sheer white jars you before the cold, explore options for furnace repair in Toronto through contractors like Laird & Son Heating and Air Conditioning.
Look-See
You need to take note of any problems that started to arise even if the house’s heating, ventilation, and airconditioning system (HVAC) was mostly on cooling duty during the summer. A slight test run through emergency furnace repair in Toronto can yield some questions to be answered when you call in a preferred contractor for help. Some issues to watch out for include cracks in the combustion chamber, flaky igniters, and utility line blockages.
Filtered Up
A furnace will have filters to further sift out the airflow and clear the heating load through the ductwork. Cakebread says that filters often have an operational life of around three months; this should establish a rule of thumb to replace the filters whenever a new quarter kicks in.
Thermostat
Sometimes, cranking up the thermostat too high often sends the utility bill through the roof. Cakebread suggests lowering the levels to about three degrees lower than your regular temperature, which can result in 10% utility savings. If your thermostat controls are of the analog variety, have the contractor recalibrate it or replace it with a programmable unit.
Preparing your HVAC system this early prevents problems in the deep winter. It’s never too late to set the ball rolling.
(Source: How to lower your heating bill this winter, Chatelaine, January 13, 2014)