The arrival of autumn signals the call for heating your home. You may have a little checklist for getting your home in shape before winter starts, and one item may seem to continually nag you: “prepare furnace for winter”.
How much of that task can you do, and how much must wait for a professional HVAC technician? Let's find out.
Only some of the preparation on your furnace falls on you, or at least is safe for you to do. However, recognize how comfortable you might be doing some dirty work. That said, here are 6 maintenance items you should be able to do:
Change your furnace filter— You may have changed it at the end of the heating season, or then again, you may have forgotten. A new filter costs so little, while a furnace costs so much, why risk damaging it? Replacing the filter (or cleaning a permanent filter) is easy and puts you well on your way to preparing your furnace for winter.
Clean your flue and chimney — You may feel comfortable doing this by investing in a chimney cleaning kit (brushes and fiberglass handles). However, you may be better off hiring a chimney sweep if you are unsure of what to do (although it is not hard, and only a little messy). Your furnace flue ventilates toxic gases, so it must be clean and free of obstructions such as squirrel and bird nests or heavy deposits of soot.
Buy a carbon monoxide (CO) detector — Save yourself, possibly your family, and your pets by investing a few dollars in a carbon monoxide detector. You can install it around 15 feet away from the furnace. Remember that carbon monoxide is odorless, colorless, tasteless and invisible, making it extremely dangerous.
Vacuum— Use an ordinary vacuum to clean the room where your furnace works hard to keep you cozy. Gently vacuum electrical connections to keep them dust-free, and keep the floor clean so dust bunnies are not stirred and lifted onto the furnace.
Nose around— Sniff the furnace room: rotten eggs? A gas leak. Musty, grimy smell? Oil leak. Ozone? An electrical short circuit.
Make an appointment early in the season— The last part of your work to prepare furnace for winter is to call your helpful HVAC service company for an early-season appointment.
7 Items for the Professionals
The heart of the checklist item, prepare furnace for winter, is the arrival of the professional HVAC technician. Properly trained and equipped to work on your furnace, they will perform several key steps beyond the average homeowner’s abilities. While each furnace brand and configuration has its own requirements, these seven steps are basic to all service calls:
Inspect and lubricate all moving parts — A little light lubrication in all the right places can add years of service to your furnace
Inspect the electrical connections and systems —Loose connections can cause sparks or trip safety systems
Inspect, clean and adjust your furnace’s burners— Energy efficiency is gained or lost at your furnace’s burners
Check fuel or gas line for leaks
Measure carbon monoxide levels and ensure proper ventilation —This can save your life and the lives of family and pets
Test safety features — Deliberately tripping and resetting safety controls ensures proper shut-off in the event of a real emergency
Inspect, test and adjust your thermostat — Especially with programmable thermostats using “fuzzy logic,” a few adjustments can save big money on energy efficiency and properly timed furnace operation
Conclusion
By spending a little time in early autumn getting your furnace ready for its hardest work, you can preserve its life, enjoy energy savings through increased efficiency, and still have a snug, cozy home all winter long.
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