We are just few weeks away from winter and it is the high time to be ready for it. This is where you should pay special attention to the condition of your furnace. In addition to making you and your family feel more comfortable during the winter months, an effectively operating furnace also lowers your energy costs. Furthermore, a well-maintained, efficient furnace reduces the likelihood of frequent furnace repairs. All you have to do is adhere to a few straightforward and manageable furnace maintenance procedures.
Replace the Furnace Filter
Changing the filter at the beginning of the winter season and again in the spring is one of the simplest but most crucial furnace maintenance tasks. Finding the proper filter type, size, and rating by consulting the furnace operating handbook will just need you to locate the filter within the furnace and replace it.
It may occur to you to vacuum the debris from the old filter and repurpose it. Even if you were able to remove some surface dirt from an old, filthy filter, it remains dirty. A new filter saves you a lot of money by avoiding many potentially expensive issues.
In addition to lowering the quality of the air within your home, a filthy or clogged filter strains your furnace. In addition to being less efficient and costing you money, a furnace that has to work harder will eventually wear out and need more expensive replacement components or maybe a new furnace altogether.
The air flow that your furnace needs most is restricted by a filthy and clogged filter. Your furnace will short cycle as a result of overheating. As a safety measure, an overheated furnace triggers your High Limit switch and turns the heater off. This indicates that your home isn’t receiving enough heat. It may also result in the early failure of other components. These consist of the inducer motor, blower motor, capacitor, and circuit board.
You may want to have an HVAC professional come out and make sure all the components are operating in accordance with manufacturer specifications and regulations if your heating system is continuously cycling, meaning it turns on and off even after you replace the filter.
Replace Thermostat Batteries and Reprogram It
Every time the heating season begins, change the batteries in your thermostat. If your thermostat has new batteries in it, you can be confident that it won’t stop operating and force your furnace to start heating on a chilly winter’s morning. Furthermore, less effort will be required from your furnace to return the temperature to a tolerable level.
By the way, it’s a good idea to always have a supply of fresh batteries on hand. Because you better have some extra blankets if you wake up in the middle of the night in the bitter cold and your thermostat is dead and you don’t have any batteries.
Reprogramming your thermostat is just as crucial as replacing the batteries at the beginning of the season. When the weather becomes cooler and daylight savings time changes to normal time, create a routine that works with your schedule. For instance, you might program the thermostat to turn on 20 minutes before you typically get up if you would rather have a warmer house in the morning. Set the thermostat to operate at a lower temperature throughout the week if you will be away from home, and then raise the temperature when you typically return. This reduces energy use and furnace wear and tear, saving you money.
Different manufacturers produce various types of thermostats, and their programming varies accordingly. To learn how to configure your thermostat, go to the instruction booklet that came with it.
It’s simple enough to look up instructions online and investigate your thermostat model if you no longer have the handbook.
Clear Furnace Flue along with Surrounding Clutter
There must be airflow around your furnace. figuratively. According to manufacturer requirements and the majority of local rules and standards, your furnace should be free of clutter and debris up to 30 inches or more. This makes it possible for the heating element to operate safely and smoothly and to utilize adequate air for combustion. Additionally, it gives your HVAC professional enough space to fully check and maintain your system.
Nevertheless, your furnace is located in a crawl area, attic, or basement where clutter is common. Thus, at the beginning of each heating season, make it a practice to clean the area around your furnace.
Make sure your combustion flue, often known as the exhaust, since it securely removes combustible byproducts from your home, is free of any debris or animals that may have taken up residence there during the warmer months if it is accessible. These are often found on the roof, although they may also sometimes be found over the garage or on the home’s sidewall.
Make sure the furnace is off before doing any flue inspections and proceed with utmost caution! As per the manufacturer’s suggestion and local regulations, your flue has to be sealed to prevent any rodents from residing in it after installation. Ask your HVAC professional to find and examine the flue for you if you are unclear of its position.
The last step is to run your furnace for thirty minutes with the windows open, ideally ahead of the onset of colder weather. This aids in the movement and removal of debris, dust, and filth that has accumulated on your furnace’s heating element, the heat exchanger. Otherwise, when your indoor air quality decreases and polluted air circulates throughout the home, you may notice a faint burning scent if you wait until winter when your windows remain closed.
Regular Upkeep and Safety Inspection
The system in your furnace is mechanical. And since there are many interconnected motors, electrical, and gas components in any mechanical system, it’s crucial to do an annual inspection to make sure everything is in working condition.
Many homeowners believe they may forego maintenance if their system is just a year or two old. For the same reason that you wouldn’t buy a new automobile and forego the first few oil changes. In fact, when your furnace is brand-new is the best time to begin your annual maintenance. It is crucial to take good care of your HVAC system from the beginning since it is the biggest and most costly equipment in your house.
Make sure to get a comprehensive safety check and comprehensive health report from your HVAC provider if it has been some time since your last scheduled maintenance appointment. Enrolling in an annual maintenance package is the best option since it will guarantee regular furnace maintenance and save you money.
Organize Your Ductwork
Animals like to locate a comfortable spot to nest during the warmer months, and your ducting and the insulation around it make this an excellent site. Furthermore, the deterioration of the duct work overtime may be caused by the circumstances of your crawl space or attic year after year. This may reduce the effectiveness of your home’s duct system, which distributes heat and air conditioning. Furthermore, if you have had maintenance staff in your crawl or attic area lately, there is a chance that they may have damaged your ductwork. Unbalanced airflow may cause hot or cold areas in your house, which is a major sign of possible new damage to your duct system.
For this reason, it is advised that you get your ducts inspected once a year to check for degradation, new rips or breaches, insulation peeling off, and ductwork dropping. But only in the event that your ductwork is conveniently accessible. However, if you are unclear about the location of the duct system, it is recommended to have your ducts inspected and, if necessary, cleaned by an HVAC professional.
Call and Expert for Furnace and Plumbing Maintenance
When you need any assistance with furnace or plumbing, it is important to seek the assistance of experts. For most of necessary repairs, their fully loaded trucks have replacement parts on hand. If the component is not immediately available, they will get it to you fast so you can be back up and running as soon as possible.
Make an appointment for your annual tune-up, which includes a free duct and insulation check, or call them for a free duct inspection.
