When summer rolls around, you might be wondering whether you really need to leave your furnace on. After all, this appliance is designed to heat up your home but you need it to cool down. Some people prefer to turn their furnace off, but they first need to make sure they are not talking about their boiler. Both can help to heat your home, but boilers also play an important role in heating your hot water.
A modern furnace could mean any number of different models, manufacturers, and styles. It would be hard to identify whether all furnaces need to be turned off in the summer simply because of one model. However, there are a few rules of thumb for determining if yours should be turned off. When you are ready to consider shutting off your furnace for the season, take a look at this short guide first.
Is your furnace part of a forced air system?
Some furnaces need to be turned on in order for your central air conditioning system to run. They can control the fan function for your air conditioner, making a huge difference in how well your home will cool down during these summer months. You will want to leave your furnace on all summer if this is the case for your home.
Do you still have cold nights?
Some climates have hot summer days, but the nights are still bitterly cold. You may regret turning off the furnace is this is the type of climate you live in. After all, you’re going to want the furnace to pump hot air into your home when the temperatures start to dip. Consider whether you are at a point in the year where it is warm all day and night long. If not, you should leave the furnace on indefinitely.
Is your furnace running unnecessarily?
The furnace should not turn on until the temperature of your home signals it to do so. The thermostat would have to read below your set temperature in order for the furnace to start heating up your home. If the thermostat doesn’t dip below this number, then your furnace isn’t going to run. This effectively turns it off without having to disable it manually.
Are you living in the home?
If you aren’t living in the home full-time, you could turn off the furnace to save some money. This would be the only time that it is really necessary to turn off the furnace for your home. After all, you won’t be using the heat from the furnace if you aren’t living there long enough to enjoy it.
Deciding whether or not to turn off your furnace can be a highly personal decision. Much of the choice will depend upon how your home is set up and the climate around where you live. In most cases, it doesn’t make sense to turn the furnace off for the summer. It doesn’t run, and it could be playing an important role in another system in your home. If you have any questions about your modern furnace, you should give Provincial Heating and Cooling a call. We are the leading heating contractor in Winnipeg