When the cold days of the year start, it is better to check the furnace for any potential problem it may have. Thus, you will be able to fix and prevent it from causing serious issues. In this article, we will give you useful furnace maintenance tips as well as the step which should be taken to have an efficient furnace all year. Here is the furnace maintenance checklist:
Replace the furnace filter
One good and simple way to always keep your furnace in its highest performance is to change the furnace filter. But why it is important?
1. To have a better flow of air
What furnace air filter does is that it absorbs dust, allergens and etc from air, so it has a huge effect on improving the air quality in your house. Over a period of time, the air filter loses its effectiveness and will not be able to purify the air. So it is better to change the air filter time to time.
2. To increase the performance of the system
Furthermore, if the furnace air filter becomes dirty, the air flow will be much difficult. As a result, the fans in the furnace should work harder and faster to move the air needed for the system. This can cause serious problems like decreasing the system’s performance, and even it may become overheated.
If you don’t know how to replace the air filter, here is how you do it:
- At first, turn off the furnace
- Remove the panel
- Find the filter and replace it with the new one
- Turn on the furnace
Check the pilot Light
Always be sure to check the pilot light. It should work properly and have a correct color. Any irregular thing about the pilot light can be a demonstration of a serious problem that have to be fixed immediately. If the light is turned off, it turns off and on regularly or the light is burning in yellow, it is a negative sign. But if it is burning in blue, means that everything is ok.
In order to check the pilot light, all you need to do is:
- In the first step, remove the panel
- After removing the panel, you have to find the light easily. Keep its color and flame rate in your mind to check if it is working properly.
- In case you can’t find any flame, it means that you have to fix the problem, making it become turned off as soon as possible.
One reason for a yellow flame could be an excessive release of carbon monoxide. In this case, carbon monoxide can also be released into your house, which may result in a dangerous accident threatening your and your family’s lives. So as soon as you realize this problem, call a pro to have a good service.
Clean the vents
Another important tip for maintaining a furnace is to clean the vents. Vents are a part of the system from which warm air comes out into the rooms. As time passes, dust and dirt build up on the vent. So cleaning them is necessary to have a better air flow into the rooms. Furthermore, by cleaning them, dust won’t be spared in the room, resulting in more clear and steamless air flow around the house. This is an important factor, specially for those who have respiratory diseases.
To clean the vents, you should follow these steps:
- Remove the vent off the wall
- Vacuum all the dirt on the vent carefully
- Put the vent back in its place
Pay attention to the sounds
Any unusual sound from the furnace may be a sign of a serious problem in the system. So, in case you hear any kind of abnormal sound from your furnace, check for the potential problems or call a professional person to solve it as soon as possible.
Change the Humidifier Pad
To have a better furnace, don’t forget to replace the humidifier pad. Usually, a humidifier pad is situated in the furnaces. This unit prepares the humidity needed, especially in dry winter days. By doing so, it helps people with respiratory disease to breathe easier and also prevents skin problems. Also, regulating the humidity in the house is so important, as it can cause serious problems for furniture made of wood.
After several times of using, humidifier pads become clogged as a result of the accumulation of dust and other materials. So it is a necessity to change and replace it with a new one. It is mostly recommended to replace the humidifier just before starting to use furnace to heat your house, and it can be done by yourself or a technician.
Check the thermostat for heating system maintenance
If you have any problem with the temperature, check the thermostat to see if it is working properly or not. If your thermostat is working based on a specific program or schedule, check to see if it is turning off or on properly and at the correct time.
Another way to test the thermostat is using a separate thermometer. The temperature you read from the thermostat should be the same as the temperature shown on your thermometer. It is an indication of a correctly working thermostat.
If you recognize any problem with it, call us for furnace repair to send you a professional technician. They will check the thermostat and the wiring for the potential problems and take action needed for heating system maintenance it in the best way for you.
Pay close attention to Your Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Carbon monoxide is a kind of poisonous gas with no color and odor, so if it spread in your house no one will be able to detect it, which has irreparable results. So be sure to place a carbon monoxide detector in every floor of your house as well as the rooms for more safety. But just having this device in your house doesn’t mean that it is working correctly, and you should check it every so often. So what should you do?
- Change the battery: The battery of your carbon monoxide detected will not work for a lifetime, and it has a limited life span for sure. So in order to make sure of your device working properly, it is recommended to change its battery every 6 months.
- Test the detector’s sound: To do this, press and hold the “test” button and wait to hear the alarm for 2 times. By checking the alarm of your carbon monoxide detectors, you can be sure that whenever the device detects this gas around, you will be aware immediately.
Check the air flow through the ducts
This is recommended to be done every year when you just start using your furnace. It is better to call a professional technician and ask them to do so, and The steps that should be taken to test the air ducts include:
- At first, the vent has to be taken off the wall
- Then, the ducts should be checked for any air leaks.
- Pro technicians will use some special tools to test the temperature of the air in the ducts to check if it is high enough or not. If it is not, it may be a sign of leaking in some parts, causing a remarkable reduction in the temperature.
A leaking duct means a serious reduction in the performance of your system, as you will not get the full heat manufactured by the furnace, and it is a serious waste of energy and heat. So try to realize and fix it as soon as possible.
Clean around the furnace and outside units
It is always good to try to keep around the furnace and the units placed outside clean and clear all the dust and dirt near them. This will help you to keep your system and the parts inside more clear, which increases the life of your furnace.
Furthermore, prevent plants and bushes from growing around the outside units. It blocks the air flow to the inside and outside the system, which results in a serious reduction in the performance and efficiency of your furnace.
Schedule regular furnace inspection
Although there are some heating system maintenance tips and steps you can do, but it is a necessity to have a furnace inspection and service by a professional technician every six months. Thus, you will be able to keep your furnace efficiency in its highest level.
Our technicians in a2bplumbing are experts and trained to recognize every little sign of damage. Therefore, by fixing those small issues, they will prevent probable further damages which may be so serious and have a danger.
FAQ about furnace maintenance tips
when to replace a furnace filter?
The answer to this question depends on the size of your filter. Here is the complete guide:
- 1- to 2-inch filters should be changed every 1 to 3 months.
- 3- to 4-inch filters should be changed every 6 to 9 months.
- 5- to 6-inch filters should be changed every 9 to 12 months.
How often should a furnace run?
A furnace should turn on and off 3 to 8 times in one hour. This is the standard limit but it may vary based on different factors.
Conclusion
In this article, we tried to give you some information about furnace maintenance tips to always keep your furnace system in its highest efficiency. Thus, we recommend you to always check your system and fix any problem as soon as you find it. If you want a professional service, don’t forget to call us, and We will send you an expert immediately and provide a furnace tune up.
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