While upgrading to a new furnace system is the best way to increase efficiency and energy savings, it’s not the only way to do so. Whether you’re in the market for a new system or you want to increase the efficiency of your current system, reducing your heating load will have a significant impact on comfort and energy savings.

What is heating load?

Heating load is the amount of conditioned air that your furnace must produce in order for you and your family to stay comfortable throughout the winter. Heat loss throughout your home will therefore directly affect how much heat your furnace has to create day in and day out.

How does heating load affect furnace efficiency?

If your home has a tight seal and its insulation is up to par, your furnace can work at peak efficiency. If your home has a lot of air leaks and weak insulation, your furnace will have to overcompensate for those losses, and you’ll be paying more money each month on your utility bills than you need to.

How can you affect your home’s heating load?

In order to create an energy-efficient home, you can reduce your home’s heating load by:

• Sealing air leaks. Air leaks commonly occur in the exterior of your home. They are relatively easy to find by looking for places where holes have been made in the construction materials, like around window frames, doors, plumbing pipes and electrical wiring.
• Upgrading insulation. Insulation is designed to stop the transfer of heat and create a heat barrier. So if you have old insulation, not enough insulation or low-efficiency insulation, it’s likely that valuable heat is escaping through walls and in the attic.
• Sealing ducts. Your home’s ductwork delivers heat, so if there are leaks in the duct pipes, you’re losing energy as well.

If your plans for reducing your heating load include the above tips, you’re well on your way toward increased energy savings, and you’ll enjoy enhanced comfort, too.

Need help? The experts at Bennett Sheet Metal & Heatingare happy to answer your questions, and help you with energy-saving projects around your home.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about furnaces and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Bennett Sheet Metal services Courtenay, BC and the surrounding areas. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!