Safety and Efficiency Tips for your Propane Gas Furnace

Propane is an excellent alternative home heating fuel for furnaces. Clean burning and non-toxic, propane is just as safe as other heating fuels in Greensboro, if not more so. But getting the highest level of efficiency and safety from your propane furnace requires a little bit of action on the homeowner’s part. Follow these tips to get peak performance from your furnace and eliminate safety risks.

1. Schedule Routine Maintenance. This is always the number one safety and efficiency tip for propane furnaces. Keeping up with maintenance, which means a professional inspection and tune-up once a year, will ensure that your furnace is operating properly. A furnace in disrepair can cause a variety of safety issues from fire risk to carbon monoxide poisoning. A well-maintained furnace will also heat your home more efficiently, using less propane and making your home feel warmer. Always schedule a maintenance appointment towards the end of summer or in the early fall before the weather gets cold enough to require the use of your furnace. 
2. Keep your Propane Filled Regularly. Running out of propane and even letting the amount of propane in your tank to fall too low can cause a variety of problems and safety issues. A propane tank that is nearly empty has a lot of space for air, condensation, and unwanted moisture to build up inside, which is potentially harmful to the tank itself. A tank in disrepair can leak or lead to other problems. If your tank gets completely empty, there are extra measures that must be taken when it comes to the refill process. An empty tank can become leaky upon refill due to internal pressure issues. Your propane supplier can repair any leaks and provide an automatic delivery schedule for future refills to prevent your tank from running out again.  
3. Your Propane Tank Should have an Overfill Prevention Device. A propane tank should never be filled completely. There should always be room for the liquid to expand as it warms. Otherwise, the pressure in the tank is too great, which can cause leaks or even an explosion in extreme cases. The overfill prevention device, or OPD for short, ensures that this won’t happen. 
4. Change your Filters Regularly. Experts recommend monthly, or at least quarterly filter replacement. At the very least you should have your HVAC service replace them twice a year during maintenance appointments. Dirty or clogged filters are one of the biggest causes of inefficiency in your furnace.  
5. Get a Programmable Thermostat. One of the best things you can do to improve HVAC efficiency is to use a programmable thermostat. You can set the thermostat to call for different temperatures at different times of the day or night, so that when you’re not home, your house won’t have to be as warm, saving a significant amount of propane.  

Berico Provides Furnace Maintenance and Heating Fuels in Greensboro  

To keep your furnace operating efficiently and your propane tank full and in good condition, you need regular service and deliveries from a reliable propane supplier. Berico is a complete home comfort service providing all of the necessary maintenance and products to keep your home comfortable year round. Call (336) 273-8663 to request furnace maintenance or heating fuels in Greensboro.