Preventive maintenance prepares homes for winter

One of the most important things for homeowners to check is the insulation in their attics, said Cara Shaefer, director of energy management for City Utilities.

“We recommend an R-38 insulation value. If it’s the blown-in fiberglass insulation, that’s about 15 inches. The insulation you have in the attic is going to keep that heated air that you’re paying so dearly for in your living area. Otherwise it’s going through your ceiling and out your roof,” she said.

Also vital before winter comes is to have the furnace serviced, and Shaefer recommends hiring a professional to handle the job.

“Our home comfort systems, we don’t think about them until they break, and then we go into a panic mode,” said Frank Elston, owner of Heartland’s One-Hour Heating & Air Conditioning. “Just a little preventive maintenance can go a long way.”

Preventive maintenance can save up to 30 percent on gas bills in the winter, Elston said, adding that his crews offer a performance-based tune up and check the gas pressure, burners and heat exchanger for safety reasons.

“Probably the most dangerous thing about the furnace is across the country we have about 200 people die each year from carbon monoxide poisoning, and that comes from the furnace and the heat exchanger inside it,” Elston said. “Carbon monoxide poisoning is odorless (and) tasteless. You go to sleep and you don’t wake up.”

The filter factor

Changing the filters two to three times during the season is also recommended.

“That keeps the air flow going through that air handler and keeps it working more efficiently,” Shaefer said.

Changing the filters, Elston said, can keep the heating system running properly.

“The best analogy is you’re not going to let your car go 25,000 miles without changing the oil, so why are you letting your furnace go all winter without having it checked?” he said.

Shaefer also recommends caulking and weatherstripping around doors, windows and any other place that may have air infiltration. “Your whole house is working as a system and anything you can do to tighten up that house and keep that heated air inside your living area is going to make a difference for you. It’s going to make you more comfortable, which is going to allow you to turn down that thermostat and keep that at a lower temperature,” Shaefer said.

City Utilities, Shaefer said, adjusts customers’ gas prices each month based on what it costs the utility. “That’s why there’s a purchased gas cost adjustment on every bill, and that changes every month. That natural gas for City Utilities, what it costs us to purchase, is passed on to the customers,” she said. “Right now we have pretty unprecedented natural gas prices. We don’t know what it’s going to do throughout the winter, but (customers) certainly want to be prepared. The weather drives all of that.”

Thermostat options

One way to save on heating costs is to use a programmable thermostat, which Elston said can save about 3 percent on heating bills.

Shaefer said programmable thermostats for residential use are available for $30 to $50.

“They’re very easy to install, and they will definitely pay for themselves in the heating or cooling season,” she said.

The thermostat, Shaefer said, is the key to saving energy and saving money. “Anytime you can reduce that thermostat setting, it’s going to help you save. The recommended setting in the wintertime is 68 degrees,” Shaefer said.

She recommends setting the thermostat back five or 10 degrees when no one is home. “A good rule of thumb if you’re going to be away for more than two hours at a time, go ahead and set your thermostat back.”

Elston advises against shutting the furnace off completely while no one is home. “If you shut it completely off, it has to catch up so much,” he said.

Splish, splash

For homeowners with pools and spas, there’s more to maintenance than just insulation and heating.

Most people leave their spas open for the winter, said Ed Faxon, owner of Springfield Pool & Spa. “But if you’re not going to use it and it’s not going to be plugged in and running, you do need to winterize that also,” he said.

“Your (pool and spa) pipes and your equipment will break if they’re not winterized,” Faxon said. “Winterizing is removing the water out of the plumbing and pumps and filters, adding antifreeze to the line and you cap all the lines off. If you don’t, your plumbing will freeze and break. There’s no question about it. You will have damage.”

Pools must be covered for the winter, but first water chemistry must be balanced. “That water’s going to be sitting there all winter, and you don’t want your water to be aggressive to eat your liner or your concrete surface if the pH is too low,” Faxon said.

Homeowners can winterize pools themselves, Faxon said. “If somebody hasn’t done it before, any pool place could give that guidance.”