How Do I Increase Airflow with My Furnace?

Does it sometimes feel like your oil furnace* takes far more time than it should to get your home to the right temperature during the fall and winter?

If that’s the case, the problem may not be your furnace’s fault.

You see, your furnace has two basic jobs – to heat a volume of air, and to distribute that heated air to the rooms in your Rhode Island home. It may be doing both those jobs quite well, but airflow problems could be preventing the hot air from actually getting where it’s supposed to go. These airflow problems will not only rob you of home comfort, they will also force your heating system to overwork, which will raise your energy bills and cause unnecessary wear and tear on your heating equipment.

So how do you improve airflow in your home heating system? Here are three simple solutions that you can easily tackle yourself.

• Free and clean your vents – Make sure your vents are free from blockage from furniture, objects, or curtains and drapes. It’s also a good idea to clear any dust and dirt from your vent grills with a damp microfiber cloth to ensure proper movement of air (not to mention preventing the spread of dust, dirt, and other contaminants around your home).
• Change your filters and clean your return grill – A clogged air filter also impedes air movement within your heating system, which hampers efficiency and can lead to bigger problems down the road. Check your furnace air filter every 30 days or so in the height of heating season, replacing it when needed. If the air return grill on your furnace looks like it needs a little TLC, use a vacuum to clean off the dust and keep things moving.
• Seal leaky ductwork – Did you know that s much as 30 percent of the warm air that your furnace produces (and that you paid to heat) could fall short of its journey to your living space due to leaks, holes, or poor connections in your ductwork? That’s what the folks at EnergySTAR™ say – and they ought to know.

  If you’re experiencing dusty rooms after turning on your furnace, or getting unusually high energy bills during the fall and winter, you could have leaky ducts.

  Some duct leaks are obvious and can be felt by running your hand along exposed sections of your ductwork (in your attic or crawl space, for example). If you find n obvious leak, seal it with mastic-type sealant (available at your local hardware store). Don’t use duct tape!

  Unfortunately, many duct leaks are found in sections of your duct that are inaccessible – or the leaks are too small for you to easily see. If that’s the case, consider investing in professional duct sealing from a reputable contractor. The process isn’t particularly cheap, but if it saves you 20-30 percent on your energy bills while keeping you more comfortable, it could be a worthwhile investment.

Summing up

Proper airflow is essential to your comfort, and to the efficiency of your furnace. Try these tips and many of the airflow problems you’re experiencing could disappear; if they don’t, contact us so we can take a look at your heating system for other clues about the problem.

For expert heating service in our Rhode Island service area, trust the pros at Vaughn Oil. Contact us today to learn more, or to become a Vaughn Oil Customer.

*If you have a forced-air heating system (one with vents), you have a furnace; if you have baseboards or radiators, you have a boiler.