As temperatures get warmer in the spring, you can do a full shutdown of your heating system. This offers the benefits of reduced energy use and lower bills during the summer, and it prevents the furnace from accidentally coming on if someone changes your thermostat settings.
But you should not shut down the system too early since turning it back on will be a challenge if temperatures drop again. These are the basic guidelines for when to turn your heater off and how to keep your home comfortable if temperatures do drop.
Right Temperature for Shutting Down Your Furnace
It is generally fine to start leaving your heat off when overnight lows are consistently above 50 degrees. Although this is a lower temperature than is often considered comfortable, it would take several days for your home to reach this temperature and higher daytime temperatures should continue to keep your interior at a relatively comfortable temperature.
You can help preserve warmth by opening curtains during the daytime to let in sunlight and opening windows if temperatures are above 70 degrees. If you are still chilly or continuing to use heat at night, this can help is the transition.
When temperatures are reliably above 60 degrees at night and you do not feel cold without the heat running, you can shut your system down completely. You should check forecasts up to 2 weeks out
to be sure that there are no cold snaps coming and also rely on your knowledge of past years. If your area experiences late season cool weather, consider waiting a little longer to turn your heater off.
When it is time to shut your furnace down completely, use the following procedure:
- Set your thermostat in the off position.
- Listen to be sure that you hear no sounds of your heating system working.
- On the furnace or heating component, move the power switch to the off position.
- Shut off the pilot light.
- Shut off the fuel supply valve for the unit.
A professional heating company can also help homeowners in Nashville who want assistance transitioning from their HVAC systems from winter to summer. Lewis Comfort Control can provide any end of season furnace maintenance before getting your AC ready for warmer weather. Schedule furnace maintenance with our team today.