How to Choose the Right Furnace Accessories

1. Thermostats: The Brain of Your Furnace

Thermostats are more than just a control panel for your furnace. Modern thermostats are packed with technology that can help you manage your heating system more efficiently. A programmable thermostat, for instance, allows you to set specific temperatures for different times of the day, ensuring that your home is always comfortable without wasting energy when it’s not needed. Even more advanced are smart thermostats, which can learn your schedule, adjust settings automatically, and be controlled from your smartphone.

Not only can a thermostat help you fine-tune your home’s comfort, but it also offers the added benefit of reducing energy bills by ensuring your furnace doesn’t work harder than it needs to. For homeowners looking for a balance between comfort and cost savings, upgrading your thermostat is an accessory worth considering.

2. Furnace Filters: A Key to Air Quality and Efficiency

Furnace filters play a crucial role in keeping your furnace running smoothly and ensuring the air quality in your home is clean and healthy. As your furnace circulates warm air throughout your house, the air passes through a filter that catches dust, allergens, and other debris. Over time, these filters can become clogged, forcing your furnace to work harder to maintain the same level of heating. This not only reduces efficiency but can also lead to higher energy bills.

Changing or upgrading your furnace filters regularly is a simple but effective way to maintain your furnace’s performance. There are several types of filters available, including:

• Standard fiberglass filters: These are inexpensive and can capture large dust particles, but may not be as effective at trapping smaller pollutants.
• Pleated filters: These offer better filtration and can capture finer particles, improving air quality.
• High-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters: These are ideal for homes with allergy sufferers or anyone sensitive to airborne contaminants, as they remove the smallest particles from the air.
• Selecting the right filter for your home will depend on your specific needs. If your priority is air quality, investing in a high-efficiency filter could be well worth it.

3. Humidifiers: Adding Comfort to Your Home

Cold air tends to be dry, which can lead to discomfort during the winter months. Dry air can cause issues like dry skin, irritated sinuses, and even make your home feel cooler than it actually is. Installing a humidifier as an accessory to your furnace can help maintain optimal humidity levels, adding moisture to the air as it’s heated and circulated throughout your home.

There are several types of humidifiers available, from standalone units to whole-house systems that work directly with your furnace. By maintaining the right humidity levels in your home, you can enjoy improved comfort, better air quality, and even reduce the strain on your heating system.

4. Zoning Systems: Customizing Comfort for Every Room

If your home has multiple rooms or levels, you’ve likely experienced uneven heating, with some areas feeling too hot while others remain too cold. A furnace zoning system can solve this issue by dividing your home into different zones, each with its own thermostat. This allows you to adjust the temperature in each zone separately, ensuring that every room is heated to your desired comfort level.

Zoning systems not only improve comfort but can also help reduce energy consumption by allowing you to focus heating on specific areas of the home rather than heating the entire house at once. For larger homes or homes with specific heating challenges, a zoning system is a smart accessory that can greatly enhance your furnace’s efficiency.

5. Air Purifiers: Enhancing Indoor Air Quality

For homeowners concerned about indoor air quality, adding an air purifier to your furnace can make a big difference. Air purifiers work alongside your furnace to capture and remove pollutants from the air, including dust, pollen, mold spores, and even bacteria and viruses. This can be especially beneficial for households with allergies, asthma, or other respiratory issues. 

Many air purifiers are designed to integrate directly with your furnace, ensuring that all the air passing through your heating system is cleaned before being circulated throughout your home. This not only improves air quality but can also help protect your furnace from dust and debris buildup, potentially extending its lifespan.

6. Furnace Insulation Blankets: Boosting Efficiency

If your furnace is located in an unheated space, such as a basement or garage, it may be losing heat before the warm air even reaches your home. A furnace insulation blanket is a simple accessory that wraps around your furnace to help retain heat and reduce energy loss. By keeping more heat inside the furnace, your system can work more efficiently and reduce energy costs.

Insulation blankets are particularly beneficial for older furnaces that may not be as well-insulated as newer models. This inexpensive accessory can provide noticeable savings on your energy bills over time while helping to extend the life of your furnace.

7. Furnace Surge Protectors: Safeguarding Your System

Your furnace relies on electricity to operate, and like any electronic device, it can be vulnerable to power surges. A sudden surge of electricity can damage your furnace’s internal components, leading to costly repairs or even a full system replacement. Installing a furnace surge protector is an easy way to protect your investment and ensure that your furnace remains safe from unexpected power spikes. 

Surge protectors are especially important in areas prone to electrical storms or power outages. With this accessory in place, you can rest easy knowing that your furnace is protected from damage caused by voltage fluctuations.