Now is the time for Colorado homeowners to prepare homes for winter and save money with furnace tuneup

With cooler temperatures arriving in Colorado, now is the time to start preparing your home so you can save money this winter. That includes getting a checkup and maintenance on your furnace, steps that can lower heating costs and help you avoid unexpected, costly breakdowns.

Rachel Gibson has owned her home for about a year and just replaced the filter on her home furnace.

"It's good to maintain your system. In the long run, if you're not maintaining it, it's going to cost a lot more money to replace," said Gibson. "We were told that it's right before wintertime, before our furnace really kicks on and we start using it more often."

A well-maintained furnace lowers your monthly bill by improving energy efficiency.

Rick Lester, the general manager of AAA Service Plumbing and Heating, says to inspect your filter monthly and replace it regularly. Dirty filters restrict airflow, forcing your system to work harder and use more energy, costing you more money.

"Nobody wants to overpay the utility company, so it's getting ahead of the curve. If you do that, that's more money into the homeowner's pocket," said Lester.

A general rule of thumb: 1-to-2-inch filters should be replaced every one to three months, and thicker filters can last up to 12 months. Lester said just an eighth of an inch of dust can reduce a furnace's capacity.

"Don't let that excess dust build up again, because of dust is in everybody's home as it gets on the parts inside that furnace, it's going to cause extra wear and tear," said Lester.

Lester recommends homeowners to schedule a furnace check. Homeowners and technicians taking proactive steps early can also prevent costly unexpected breakdowns later and save homeowner's money.

Lester said some furnaces could last up to two decades, but the older a furnace is, the less efficient it becomes.

"Your furnace or AC could be up to 45 to 50% of your utility bill, so if you're going to save 30% of that 40%, it's quite a bit of savings that you're going to put back in your pocket," said Lester.

Another reminder is to keep seal air leaks and gaps, plus clearing vents to ensure proper airflow and ventilation.

"We're making sure all the vents are open, and that there are no rugs blocking them, so that there is good efficiency and clean air flow in the home," said Gibson.

Gibson is also part of AAA's Happy Home Club, where the company calls her to schedule check-ups, taking the worry out of the homeowner's hands. The company also puts in early detection devices that send alerts about potential problems.

"The main thing is we're going to get to it before it comes costly. It could be something minor, and we don't want it to turn into something major," said Lester.

"They give us a call a couple times a year to come out and just make sure that our furnace is working properly. They will also make sure that our filter is clean and up to date, and that if we do need any replacements, they will do that here for us," said Gibson.