Why Your Furnace Is Using A Lot Of Energy

If you suspect that your furnace is responsible for a recent spike in your electricity bill, then you should have a heating technician inspect your house and furnace for energy inefficiency. The following are some of the reasons your furnace might suffer energy inefficiency. 

Dirty Filter

A furnace requires efficient airflow to distribute heated air and also get cold air for heating. The air that enters the furnace must first pass through the filter. If the filter is clogged with debris, enough air won't pass through, and your furnace will struggle to warm up your house. Thus, the energy consumption of the furnace will rise as the furnace will need to run for a longer than it should to heat your home.

Standing Pilot Light

If you have a gas furnace with a standing pilot light, then it is hard for your furnace to be as efficient as it would be if you used electronic ignition. The pilot light provides the flame that ignites the gas burners. A standing pilot light stays lit as long as the furnace is operating while an electronic ignition only ignites when needed. Thus, the standing pilot light ends up using more energy than the electronically ignited pilot light.

Electrical and Electronic Malfunctions

Even a gas furnace requires electricity to operate. Your furnace has electrical and electronic parts, such as sensors, main circuit board, motors, and thermostat, among others. A malfunction of any of these electronic and electrical parts can result in furnace inefficiency.

For example, a thermostat with loose wires might fail to read the correct temperature; incorrect temperature readings may cause the furnace to run for a longer time than it should. Malfunctions of the flame sensor, electronic igniter, and switch, among others, can also lead to high energy usage.

Air Leaks

In some cases, your furnace may use more energy than usual through no fault of its own. For example, even if your furnace is highly efficient, its energy usage will be high if your house has air leaks. Maybe your house is not properly insulated, or there are gaps around your doors and windows. In such cases, your house will be losing heated air and getting cold air from outside. That means the furnace has to work harder than usual to keep the house comfortable, and this increases the furnace's energy consumption.

Regular maintenance of your furnace and house should help you avoid energy inefficiency issues. If an issue does arise, contact a furnace repair technician for a diagnosis and solution before the problem worsens.

Share