Most of us have at least 5 weeks left of cold, snow and ice. There are some basic maintenance steps to take to make sure your furnace will continue working through the winter. Just think of the furnace as your car and how you routinely do maintenance. It is easy to forget about the furnace since it is not something you see in your day to day life.
The most common type of heating system is a gas furnace. If you did your preseason check, the follow-up maintenance should be relatively quick and easy. Probably the most important thing to check is the carbon monoxide detector. It should be located near the furnace and free from any obstructions. Check the battery and do the test beep.
Make sure the furnace has room to breathe. There should be nothing stored near the furnace or leaning up against it. This can be a fire hazard especially with a gas furnace where there are flames. Storing cleaners or paints near the furnace is also dangerous. Those items should be in a cabinet for safe storage. Check for dust and cobwebs around the furnace and duct work.
Now check the thermostat. Turn it off, wait a few minutes, and turn the heat back on. Is there an odor or weird sound? Any odors from sitting unused should have burnt off when it was first started up for the season. If you did not have a licensed and certified technician inspect the furnace before winter, now would be the time to have one come in.
A licensed and certified technician, like HVAC Construction, Inc. of North Salt Lake, UT, will check all the safety factors such as the gas pressure, the fan belt, and the thermostat contacts. There are many controls and parts to a gas furnace that need to be maintained and checked for wear and tear. They can catch something that is about to quit working and could have the replacement part on their truck.
The outside parts of the furnace are equally important. Ice accumulation, snow drifts, animal nests, and debris can block the flue pipes and hamper the function of the furnace. Keeping these pipes open and clear should be done using the proper equipment to access them.
Probably the most visible part of the furnace is the thermostat. Using a programmable thermostat with a designated thermostat setting for time periods will enable your furnace to run efficiently and less costly. Be careful to adjust the thermostat for extreme cold snaps or warm ups.
Keep your furnace maintained to save money and stay comfortable this winter.
