Have you asked yourself how to maintain your furnace? When the cold chill of winter arrives, your furnace is one of your home’s most essential appliances. It helps keep you warm on even the coldest winter night, so it is vital to make sure that it works at peak performance all season long.
Proper furnace maintenance can go a long way toward ensuring that your heater keeps running and performs at maximum efficiency, helping save power well while reducing your carbon footprint. Check out these helpful tips on how to maintain your furnace.
Be Proactive
Life is busy. It is easy to put off furnace maintenance until the weather changes. Unfortunately, by the time temperatures plummet, it may be too late. The last thing you want is to find out that your furnace has a problem when it is cold outside. Instead, start your maintenance early before temperatures begin to fall. Maintenance will help ensure that your furnace is ready to go the minute it is needed.
Start with A Visual Inspection
An excellent place to begin is by carefully looking at your furnace. Ensure that the pipe that vents outdoors is adequately attached to the furnace and positioned correctly. Check out any other tubes or attachments to ensure that they are safely out of the way.
Additionally, if you have a gas furnace, check for the smell of rotten eggs. An awful egg smell can indicate that gas leaks from the furnace, which is a potentially deadly issue that you need to address immediately.
Check The Electrical Connections
Disconnect the power to your furnace. Then, take off the door and check all of the wirings to ensure that all connections are secure.
Clean Your Furnace
Any dust or dirt can interfere with proper furnace operation. Cleaning it before starting it up is the best way to avoid any problems. Using a soft brush, gently brush away any dirt inside the furnace. Use a vacuum cleaner to pick up any debris that you knock loose.
Inspect The Flame Sensor
If the flame sensor is not working the way it should, it can keep the furnace from firing up. Clean the sensor annually. The cleaning process is relatively easy. It just needs to be unscrewed and wiped down with an emery cloth. Please put it back in place and the door back on the furnace when you complete the cleaning.
How to Maintain Your Furnace: Summary
Furnaces can be complex and dangerous. Electric furnaces have a lot of voltage running to them, while the gas furnace connects to the gas supply. If you doubt your ability to deal with either of these situations, you should contact a professional to maintain your furnace instead. Annual maintenance is surprisingly affordable, especially when considering the peace of mind that comes with knowing your furnace is operating safely.
