Total furnace performance is a combination of the unit’s BTU heating capacity, energy efficiency, and just how well it keeps you and your family reliably comfortable. However, those common elements of furnace performance likewise depend upon a much larger overall issue: How cold is it outside?
As temperatures drop, your heating system’s ability to maintain a steady, comfortable thermostat setting is challenged. While none of us can do anything about a cold spell in the depths of winter, we can take certain steps to mitigate the effects of severe cold weather on effective, efficient heating. Here are some ideas to keep both your comfort level — and your furnace performance — optimal this winter:
Schedule a professional checkup.
Contact your HVAC contractor and make arrangements for annual preventive maintenance to ensure that all furnace components are functioning properly, safely, and at maximum efficiency for the cold season.
Locate and seal air leaks.
Hot air produced by the furnace naturally seeks a way to leak out of the house into the colder outdoor environment. To reduce heat loss, look for cracks and gaps in the exterior structure of the house and seal them with caulking or expanding spray foam. Check the weatherstripping that seals gaps around doors and windows and replace it if it’s worn.
Check out the attic.
Ask a qualified HVAC contractor to evaluate the condition of your attic insulation. You’ll want to know if the depth of attic insulation meets current Department of Energy standards and if the quality and condition of the insulation supports optimum furnace performance.
Adjust thermostat settings.
Pushing thermostat settings excessively high actually tends to increase heat loss from the house in very cold weather. Strike a balance and stay comfortable, too, by programming temperatures between 68 and 72 degrees during the day when the house is occupied and between 58 and 62 degrees overnight or when nobody’s home.
As another Wabash Valley winter sets in, furnace performance becomes a major priority. Ask the professionals at Paitson Bros. for more details. We’ve been here to serve since 1922.
Jeff Paitson is a third generation business owner who continues to run the business with the same values that have been passed down from previous generations since 1922.
Jeff’s belief is that the business belongs to Jesus Christ; therefore 10 percent of the company’s profits go toward the Maryland Community Church.
Jeff is a Terre Haute Chamber of Commerce member and in his spare time, he enjoys 
Ethan Rayburn is a lifelong resident of Terre Haute and a 2005 graduate of Purdue University.
An Eagle Scout, Ethan spent four years as a non-profit executive with the Boy Scouts of America before joining Paitson Bros. as a comfort advisor and later General Manager. In that role, Ethan has brought a renewed enthusiasm for customer care, integrity, value, and service to Paitson Bros. Heating & Air Conditioning.
Ethan enjoys singing and was a member of the Purdue Varsity Glee Club. He also enjoys playing and coaching soccer, spending time with his family and two young boys, and volunteering his time and resources with his church, Terre Haute First Baptist Church, which he has attended from a very young age.
Paitson Bros
1 (812) 232-2347
Serving the Wabash Valley, IN Area Since 1922