It is obviously very frustrating to deal with higher utility bills during the winter. When the weather gets cold, you need to run your furnace to comfortably live in your house. Of course, some people will bundle up and try to turn down the thermostat a little bit. But, if you are really looking to save money by reducing your furnace usage, some simple maintenance will be far more effective in the long run. Many maintenance jobs will improve the efficiency of your system and enable you to keep your thermostat at the proper level without sacrificing any comfort or using too much electricity.

A Clean Duct System

One of the foundations of a healthy and efficient furnace is a clean duct system. Professional duct cleaning is cheap and easy, yet many people simply don't have it done as often as they should. DIY duct cleaning is actually very manageable, but you need a few special tools. 

DIY Duct Cleaning

In order to successfully clean residential air ducts, you need to have a few special tools. However, these tools are affordable and sold at any home-improvement or HVAC store. Most importantly, you need to have a duct cleaning brush and a telescoping pole. Often, this telescoping pole will be found in the paint department. Basically, you want a pole that will extend to at least 15 feet. This will allow you to reach the majority of your duct system. Most poles will have a universal male screw attachment on the end. The duct cleaning brush should have a coordinating female attachment within the handle.

The process can still be a little awkward and complicated as you try to guide the pole into the ducts. You basically wipe the dust out of the ducts. However, since some duct openings are high on the wall or low on the ground, the job might require some flexibility and strength.

Professional Duct Cleaning Services

In reality, just one visit from a professional duct cleaner is going to cost about as much as the tools. Still, some homeowners would rather leave the job to pros because they are experts who will be able to do the work more efficiently, find mold problems, and make sure everything is up to code.

In the end, it is easy to see why some people will clean their own ducts while other prefer to let the pros handle it. For more information, contact local professionals like those found at Peterson Heating & Cooling.