Wintertime is when your heating system is going to be doing its most important work, so you want to know that it is prepared and safe to be running smoothly and keeping your house toasty and warm all season long.
Read ahead to get a few key tips for maintaining a furnace ahead of, and during, the coldest months of the year – so that you can be sure to have a cozy winter.
Clear Out The Dust
Dust build-up can limit how effectively your furnace is able to function, and it can even stop it from working altogether if the problem gets too drastic. The start of winter is when your furnace will have been left untouched for the longest time, so make sure to give the interior a gentle dust and then vacuum up everything that comes loose.
Check Your Flame Sensor
The flame sensor in your furnace is an essential security feature that is designed to detect flames and prevent explosions. If it is not clean and functioning properly then your furnace won’t run.
Make sure to give it a gentle wipe-down and, if it’s still not working, you may need to empty out your drainage tube. A clogged drainage tube will cause a water build-up that your sensor can detect, causing it to turn off the furnace entirely.
Check The Connections
All of the connected parts inside your furnace – including venting pipes, drainage tubes, and wires – can become loose over time, which can pose a significant safety hazard or prevent your system from functioning properly.
Give everything a careful once-over before switching the furnace on, making sure that the pipes and tubes are securely fastened into place and there are no loose wires or connections.
The Smell Test
When it comes to a gas furnace, the biggest danger to look out for is always going to be the potential for a leak.
Have a quick sniff around the your system’s gas line before you turn anything on. If you can smell sulfur (similar to the smell of rotten eggs), then you may have a leak that needs to be addressed as soon as possible.
Filter Maintenance Is Key
One of the most important things that you can do to make sure your furnace lasts as long as possible is to replace the filter regularly. This will improve its efficiency too, helping you save up to 15% on your energy bill.
An old, dirty filter will limit air flow and reduce air quality, and it can even cause your system to overheat and fail.
Hire A Professional
While there are a number of quick things that you can do yourself to make sure your furnace is ready for the winter, it’s always worth trusting the more significant jobs to a professional. They can help to fix loose ductwork, blown motors, damaged filters, burners that are not firing correctly, and any number of other problems.
No matter what checks you can do yourself, it is a good idea to have a proper inspection carried out by a qualified mechanic at least once a year – and it is even required for many warranties.
If you’re in the Charlotte area, you can get in touch with Morris Jenkins furnace maintenance service until midnight, 7 days a week, to schedule an appointment.