Keeping your house warm in the winter months is essential. Here are some important tips you should look into.

Periodically check your furnace filter and change as needed. By adding humidity to your home (not so much as to form heavy mold or mildew) you will feel warmer at a lower temperature. Run your furnace all the time for hard to heat areas or cold rooms in your home. Have your furnace cleaned and checked annually by a licensed mechanical contractor for optimal efficiency and prolonged life. Keep your registers clean and cleared of any obstructions.

... and in case you didn't know- burning candles can cause soot damage...

As with any home, from time to time one likes to burn candles. There are many reasons why you may need to burn candles- among them is if the power is interrupted due to a storm or fallen trees. Candles are a cheap way to light your home... be beware, candles can cause soot damage.

One day, a customer called us complaining about having a black residue all over her house. Signs of soot damage includes black residue that will not wipe off and blackening around registers. After eliminating certain causes, such as fire, a cracked heat exchanger, and puff back from her furnace, it was discovered that she was burning candles.

A new study shows burning candles in the home can cause a reaction similar to a furnace puff back. According to this study, the length of the wick seems to be the biggest factor in producing soot.

To reduce the amount of soot, keep candle wicks trimmed to one quarter inch (1/4") before lighting. The type of candle also contributes to soot problems. Candles with slow burning wicks produce larger amounts of carbon particles. Candle color or scent seems to make no difference.