Should You Be Turning Your Furnace Off In The Summer?

Energy Efficiency

Small changes like turning off your furnace during periods of little to no usage can make a big difference, find out how.

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Posted by Glenn | May 20, 2025

Spring cleaning is about more than just donating a bag of clothes, or doing a deep clean of your fridge. It’s also about taking a look at our spending habits, and seeing where we can save money without sacrificing comfort.

A great place to look is at your seasonal heating and cooling bills. To help out, the expert team at Always Plumbing & Heating created this new blog, about how small changes like turning off your furnace during periods of little to no usage can make a big difference. We’ll also go over potential drawbacks to this approach and the importance of choosing professional repair and maintenance for year round savings.

Our team is always dedicated to providing 5 Star Superstar Service for all your heating and cooling needs. We have over 20 years of experience installing, maintaining and repairing furnaces, heat pumps and air conditioning units all over the Edmonton area so call us today!

Let’s start the season strong with some energy and money saving tips!

Pros of Turning Off Your Furnace For The Summer

Your furnace was built to heat your home efficiently, but in the summer months, there isn’t much need for it. Unless you find +25 degree temperatures cold, in which case maybe you skip this section.

Here are some pros of turning off your furnace this summer:

Energy savings - significantly lower costs associated with standby power by turning your furnace off completely, rather than just turning the thermostat down.
Reduced wear and tear - Prolong the lifespan of this significant investment by giving your furnace a well deserved break.
Minimize noise - less operational noise if your furnace isn’t, well…operating!

Potential Cons of Turning Off Your Furnace For The Summer

It’s also important to note the potential drawbacks of turning your furnace off as well, just in case this energy saving solution isn’t for you.

Ventilation issues - not having your furnace running can impact airflow and circulation, improving the risk of allergen build up in your ducts and decreasing your indoor air quality.
Maintenance considerations - out of sight out of mind, right? If you’re not using your furnace for an extended period of time, hidden issues might appear when you go to heat things back up.

Thermostat capabilities - some thermostat options actually don’t have a complete “off” feature, because they’re designed to maintain minimum temperature.

How to Safely Turn Off Your Furnace

Whenever you’re working on your furnace, it’s important to do things properly and safely. And that includes something as seemingly simple as turning off your furnace.

Start with your thermostat and switch it to “off”” (if you can, please see above) or into cooling mode. This will ensure your furnace isn’t continuously trying to reach a minimum temperature and causing your energy bills to creep up.

You can also turn off your furnace at the source using the control switch. Control switches look just like a light switch. Depending on the model of your furnace, you may also want to shut off power at your electrical panel as an extra step, but this is usually not necessary.
Alternatively, if you don’t want to mess with your furnace, give us a call! We can undergo a complete shutdown and maintenance check to ensure your furnace is ready to go when the temperature drops again.

Additional Energy Saving Tips For Summer

Want to add a little more bang for your buck when it comes to summertime savings? Check out these additional tips:

Regular Maintenance

Furnace performance is directly correlated to how much attention and love you show it. So stay on top of it with regular furnace tune-ups from the 5-Star Superstars from Always Plumbing & Heating.

Our heating team has over 20 years of tune-up experience in Edmonton and the surrounding areas. No matter where you are, we have fully-stocked trucks on the ground and we’re ready to come to you!

Our thorough tune-up process includes:

Troubleshooting
Cleaning
Air flow & quality inspection
Energy efficiency inspection
Replace air filters
Check thermostat settings

Tune-ups typically take an hour or so to complete. We did say it’s thorough! And the biggest benefit to tune-ups are the ability to prevent furnace repairs or replacements, increased air quality and increased efficiency. And increased efficiency means more energy savings for you month over month!

For long term coverage, join our Diamond Maintenance Program you’ll never have to worry about your HVAC needs:

Exclusive discounts.
Front of the line service.
Discounts on service and repairs.
Discounts on equipment and fixtures.
Extended service and fixture warranties.

Check & Improve Your Home’s Insulation

Another great way to improve savings this summer is by inspecting your insulation. Look for any spots that are in need of replacement and check for drafts and ensure they’re sealed up. When heated or cooled air escapes your home, it can cause your equipment to work harder to maintain temperature and raise your bills.

5 Star Advice & Service From Always Plumbing & Heating

No matter your seasonal needs, our team has you covered with comprehensive installation, repair and maintenance service designed to keep you cozy and your costs low.
Our service is backed by trusted guarantees, workmanship and we have over 2500 positive reviews from your friends and neighbours in the Edmonton area. Find out why we’re the preferred choice for home comfort, give us a call today!

Common Questions

How much does a furnace tune-up cost?

Our thorough furnace tune-ups start at $149, call us today to schedule yours!

When should I schedule furnace maintenance?

We recommend scheduling a comprehensive furnace tune-up before and after you turn your furnace off for the summertime, to ensure it’s ready to go and any issues are addressed prior to the heavier workload of Edmonton winters. Give us a call today!

Is furnace maintenance covered by warranty?

Through our exclusive Diamond Maintenance program we’re proud to offer 2 year service and repair extended warranties, in addition to 10 year extended equipment warranties. Contact our team to learn more.

Glenn | Owner

Glenn Davis, is an industry-leading figure in the plumbing and HVAC world.

Over 26 years ago his passion for the cr... more

Energy Saving Tips: Should You Be Turning Your Furnace Off In The Summer?