Before the winter season starts, you want to do everything you can to prepare your furnace. The last thing you want to happen is to have it break down during a freezing day. Here is a list of things you want to do to ensure that it will function at its best during the winter.
1. Change the Filter
The filter will help ensure that clean air is circulated throughout your home. It will collect things like dirt, lint, dust, allergens, mold, and unwanted air particles. Before the winter season starts, you want to either change or clean it. If it’s in bad condition, you’ll want to throw it away and replace it. But some filters can be reusable for several months if they are cleaned regularly.
2. Check and Clean the Chimney
It’s normal for the chimney to buildup things like debris and soot. That’s why you want to give it a good inspection and get rid of the buildup. If you know how to clean the chimney, then you can go ahead and take care of it yourself. But in many cases, homeowners don’t have any experience with the task. So ideally, you want to call a professional to clean out the chimney.
3. Test the Thermostat
You want to see if your thermostat is functioning without any problems before the winter season starts. Turn off the air conditioning and see if the heat builds up as expected. If it doesn’t work, it could be an issue with the batteries or something with the fuse. In some cases, the problem may be the actual thermostat unit itself. It’s best to bring in a professional to see what the problem is, so they can fix it as opposed to you getting furnace repairs.
4. Clean the Burners
Did you know that the furnace burners need to be cleaned out regularly? You want to turn off the power and gas first. You may have to open your burner box, depending on the unit you have. You want to use a brush to clean out the debris. You also want to sand away the rust. If the rust is extensive, then it may be time to replace the burners.
5. Oil the Blower
Some models require that you oil the blower motor on an annual basis. Check the owner’s manual or call the company to see if this is something that you have to do for your unit. Oiling the blower will ensure that the motor runs smoothly. This will ensure that your heating system is both efficient and effective.
6. Check Your Air Vents
You want to see that there isn’t anything blocking your air vents. Check to see that there isn’t anything like dust balls blocking the flow of air. It’s also important to note that you do not want to close your vent. It can create pressure inside the vents and overheat. This can damage the unit.
7. Get a Proper Inspection Done
The best thing you can do is to get a simple inspection done by an HVAC contractor. The contractor will go through a thorough examination and identify all the things you need to do, including maintenance work, part replacement, and furnace repairs. It’s also important for safety issues as they can identify potential hazards such as faulty wiring, leaky valves, and cracks to the parts.
These are some of the things you’ll want to do to get your furnace working at its best during the winter. You want to get an inspection ahead of time to avoid headaches later during the winter. Professionals are also less busy before winter. You want to hire them several weeks before winter hits so that they can adhere to your schedule as opposed to having to wait until their schedule opens up during the busy season.