In fall the world outside looks so beautiful, in its sepia-toned glory. But inside, things are cooling down fast. If you are wondering, when should I turn my furnace on for the fall season, you have come to the right place for answers.
Because when it comes to fall, you should not wait until the cold weather is upon you to start your furnace. You will need some planning and preparation to make sure you are ready to greet the season the right way.
Read on to learn the best answer to your questions about when you should turn your furnace on. Or if you need to schedule your annual furnace maintenance service, contact Galmiche & Sons today. As a leading heating and cooling company serving the St. Louis area since 1950, we are here to answer all of your questions and help you get the most from your furnace this fall.
Why Do People Delay Turning On Their Furnaces in the Fall?
Many homeowners wait until the fall season is nearly over to turn on the furnace. Or, at most, they switch on the furnace for just 2-3 days or a week before fall fully sets in. Here are a few possible reasons why:
- They don’t think fall is going to be too chilly and so they may not need the furnace.
- They feel like the furnace can get warm fast enough to heat up the entire house within a few hours.
- They want to save money on energy bills and don’t want to switch on the furnace unless absolutely necessary.
- They want to be eco-friendly and feel that using a furnace at any time other than winter or severely cold fall, is harmful to the planet.
- Their furnace is faulty or needs repair and has only a few good days of left to work (and homeowners want to tide the furnace over another season).
Problems with Waiting to Turn Your Furnace On
While some of these concerns may seem valid, when looked at more closely, all of these issues can lead to a lot of problems. From actually ending up costing more in energy bills and repair costs to reducing air quality, there are many reasons why you should start up your furnace early fall before it gets to cold. These include:
- Health issues: The cool, dry weather of the fall season can lead to the spread of disease, pneumonia, or other medical conditions. Keeping your furnace on as the cool weather sets in can ensure your home is at the right temperature and your kids, family, and older relatives don’t become susceptible to illness.
- High energy bills: Newly installed furnaces can start working within 5-10 minutes and may take just a few hours to get your entire home toasty warm. But older furnaces – especially in areas that experience bitter cold during fall and winter – can work significantly harder and longer to heat up. This means that shutting your furnace on and off actually means that your furnace will spend a lot more energy warming up and your electricity or gas bills will face a steep increase.
- Increased energy use: If you switch on your furnace at the last minute, your furnace will need to run longer and use more energy to heat up to your desired temperature. So even if you started out with noble intentions of generating a smaller energy/carbon footprint, you will inadvertently create a larger footprint while turning up your furnace to its highest to warm up your home quickly.
- Expensive furnace repairs or installation: If your furnace is not functioning correctly and needs repairs or replacement, then calling the HVAC professionals after the cold, busy season has set in may increase the cost of the furnace itself and sometimes even service charges, because of last-minute emergency needs. It is best to contact HVAC experts to come repair or install a new furnace before fall begins so that you do not have to pay these higher, seasonal charges.
So When Should You Turn On Your Furnace for the Fall Season?
We recommend that you switch on your furnace when your outside temperature starts to consistently stand below 65° F. Typically in the St. Louis area, you will find this temperature at the end of September and the beginning of October.
However, another important thing to consider when asking yourself when should I turn my furnace on is maintenance. Before you turn on your furnace, get in touch with our HVAC professionals at Galmiche & Sons to schedule your fall furnace maintenance. Our team will visit your home, check your furnace health, provide the required repairs, and if needed, recommend furnace replacement. We can answer any furnace-related questions you may have and we will help you keep your home fall ready. Contact our St. Louis heating and cooling experts for more information.
