Heating Load: How to Lower it in Your Home

If you’ve ever wondered what exactly a heating load is and why it’s important, it’s the amount of heat your home needs to maintain a comfortable temperature. The load is important because it is used to determine the size of furnace you need when you want to upgrade of need a replacement.

If your furnace isn’t quite ready for the scrap heap yet, use these tips to lower the heating burden on your furnace to help it last longer with fewer problems.

Check Filter and Vents

It may seem too simple a task to be so important, but changing your furnace filter before it clogs up substantially reduces stress on your furnace blower motor. In turn, you get to enjoy lower energy bills and won’t burn out your blower before its time.

Check all of your supply and return air vents each month. Wipe or vacuum them clean as needed. Make sure they’re not obstructed by furnishings or closed doors.

Windows and Doors

Leaky windows and doors make your furnace work harder, create drafts and drain your energy budget. Seal window jams and frames with caulk. Replace weatherstripping around entry doors if needed. Don’t forget to seal doors to unconditioned areas, such as your attic, an attached garage and/or utility room.

Windows need special treatment to reduce heat loss. Use layered drapes, shades, blinds, shutters or any window treatment to your liking, and you’ll take quite a load off your furnace and energy bills.

Attic Insulation

The Energy Star program recommends insulating home attics from R-49 to R-60. Generally speaking, if you see the joists poking above your insulation, add more — from 12 to 18 inches of fiberglass rolls, for example.

Preventive Maintenance

Your furnace can’t run at peak efficiency if it’s barely limping through the heating months. Make sure you schedule professional maintenance with your HVAC service company each year. With spring soon here, it’s still not too late for a furnace inspection and get your A/C inspection out of the way, too.

For more tips on reducing your Lorain-area home’s heating load, contact Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Lorain, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about heating load and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Guide or call us at 440-201-2959.

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