With the cold temperatures that grip the Twin Cities during the winter, your home should be a warm place to escape the chill. Unfortunately, the heat has a variety of ways to seep out of your home, causing your home to get chilly and your utility bills to rise. Here are several solutions for staying warm this winter and reducing energy loss around your home:

When a homeowner’s deciding on an HVAC system, one of the primary considerations should be energy efficiency. The more energy efficient the system, the more money you’ll save in the long run and the better your system will perform for both you and the environment. 

Does your house have that middle-of-winter, stale air feel? Do you long for some fresh air to improve the air quality in your living space? Are you prone to respiratory problems such as asthma and bronchitis? You don’t have to wait for spring to improve your indoor air quality. There are many ways to add ventilation to your home, even during the cold Minnesota winter.

During the long, cold winters in Minnesota, your whole-house humidifier needs more attention and maintenance than any other time of the year. This is because the humidifier is continuously running, right alongside your heating system. Whole-house humidifiers are responsible for keeping moisture in your indoor air, since heated air can become uncomfortably dry during the winter.

If you’re shopping for a new furnace, take the time to explore the new and redesigned components that place high-efficiency furnaces in a class by themselves. With safer operation, greater fuel efficiency and many comfort features, you may be scratching your head finding it difficult to decide which upgraded feature you like the best. 

In all likelihood, most homeowners have probably heard the term “red-tagged furnace,” but many probably don’t know exactly what this means. It’s not the end of the world, but it can definitely require an immediate response. If the furnace in your Twin Cities metro area home is in danger of being red-tagged, you probably have questions.

If you need a furnace replacement in the near future, you’ll want to learn about the factors involved with furnace sizing and your home’s heating load. Smaller furnaces cost less to purchase and don’t use as much fuel. Considering the length and intensity of Minnesota winters, anything you can do to reduce your heating expenses is an effort well spent.

Whole-house ventilation systems are vital to ensure you home feels fresh and clean throughout the year. Without proper ventilation, airborne particles and pollutants may build up in your home and degrade your indoor air quality. A whole-house ventilation system circulates air with fans and ducts, and provides such benefits as:

It’s the truth: All HVAC filters are not created equal. In fact, the best air filter for your home probably isn’t the one with the highest MERV rating and definitely isn’t one of those blue fiberglass filters that sell for under a couple dollars. The best overall choice in terms of air cleaning and cost effectiveness is the pleated air filter.

A heat exchanger is an essential part of your furnace, and unfortunately, a cracked heat exchanger not only can spell doom for your furnace; it can also lead to potentially lethal carbon monoxide leaks in your home. This is why it’s so important to recognize the three most common causes of cracks in the furnace’s heat exchanger and what you should do when they occur.