Heating system maintenance belongs on your list of essential fall chores, and Evergreen Home Performance offers free energy consults to help you think beyond the typical tune-up and make that system work harder – and smarter – for you.

Heating contractors recommend annual tune-ups to clear a year’s worth of gunk from your furnace or boiler. The service technician will replace air filters, oil filters, and nozzles; clean the heat exchanger; determine if the chimney needs to be professionally cleaned (or if any birds need to be evicted!); adjust the burner; and test combustion safety. This maintenance is a good investment that can shave 3-8% off your heating bill and help you avoid costly crises in the dead of winter.

It takes more than just a boiler or a furnace to heat your home effectively, though.  The whole system includes pipes or ducts that distribute heat throughout your home; thermostats that control when the burner fires; and whole-house insulation that provides the context and keeps the heat where you want it. Evergreen’s BPI-certified Energy Advisors look at this bigger picture to determine where your house is wasting energy and help you plan improvements that help your whole house – not just your heating system – function at a higher level.

In fact, it’s not unusual for whole-house air sealing and insulation upgrades to cut heating and cooling costs by 25-50%. Even better, the improvements that dramatically reduce energy costs also make homes more comfortable year-round, treat basement moisture problems, and reduce the likelihood of ice dams.

Contact Evergreen at 594-2244 to learn more and to schedule your FREE energy consult.