A properly functioning furnace keeps you and your family warm during the winter months. The unit not only enhances your comfort but also reduces your energy consumption. In addition, an efficient furnace that is properly maintained is less likely to require frequent furnace repairs, so you don’t need to keep hiring a furnace repair service provider.
The beauty is that you don’t need to do much to get your furnace ready for winter. All you have to do is follow a few simple, straightforward steps for furnace maintenance. To help you out, here are tricks on how to service your furnace for winter:
Make use of your eyes and nose
Regularly inspecting your heating system for damage or anomalies is crucial to keeping your furnace running smoothly and safely.
You should search for corrosion on vents, leaking vents and drainage tubes, and broken cables and connections. Corrosion will manifest itself as a powdery white substance near the vents.
You should inspect the ductwork that transports air from your furnace to vents throughout your home. You should note that these components can develop leaks over time, reducing ventilation throughout your home. A service technician can fix any of these issues.
You should also listen for sounds coming from your furnace and ductwork. Different sounds can indicate other problems. Problems with the furnace blower motor might produce a scraping sound.
A screeching sound indicates an issue with the motor’s bearing. Objects or large debris might become lodged in the motor’s fan blades, producing a fluttering, slapping sound.
Small pops and bangs are normal reactions as metal ducts expand and contract, but a loud bang can indicate that your furnace is experiencing combustion issues. If you hear any of these sounds, it is time to contact a professional specialist.
When you first turn on your furnace, you may notice a little burning odor. This is the result of the collected dust being burned off for the first time since last winter. The scent should dissipate after a few minutes; if not, switch off the unit and contact a skilled technician.
If you smell something like rotten eggs coming from your furnace, don’t ignore it. This could indicate a gas leak; leave your home immediately, call your gas provider, and contact the emergency contact in your area.
Replace the air filter.
Changing your furnace’s air filter is one of the simplest and effective forms of maintenance you can conduct. The air filter serves to filter out dust and debris that may flow through your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, thereby improving the air quality in your home.
Before you begin, determine the type of air filter in your furnace and ensure that you have the correct one. Next, turn off the power to your furnace for safety.
If you’re unsure about turning off the electricity, get in touch with a skilled technician. When checking or changing the air filter, you must turn off the furnace to avoid accidents.
You may be tempted to vacuum out the dirt from the old filter and reuse it, but you shouldn’t. This is because it is a typical case of “penny-wise and pound-foolish.”
An old, dirty filter — even if you manage to remove some surface debris — is still an old, dirty filter. A new filter costs relatively little money and saves a slew of potentially expensive problems.
A filthy or clogged filter not only reduces indoor air quality but also makes your furnace work harder. A furnace that needs to work harder is not only less efficient, costing you money, but also reduces its lifespan, costing you more money to replace parts or possibly the whole furnace.
You should note that a filthy, clogged filter reduces the much-needed airflow to your furnace. This causes your furnace to shorten its cycle owing to overheating. As a safety precaution, an overheated furnace will trip your high-limit switch and shut off. This suggests your home isn’t being properly heated.
In some cases, it may potentially cause other components to fail prematurely. These comprise the circuit board, blower motor, capacitor, and inducer motor.
If your heating system is frequently cycling (turning on and off), even after you change the filter, you should have an HVAC technician come out and ensure all components are operating according to manufacturer specifications and regulations.
Service the thermostat
It’s normal for your thermostat to lose accuracy over time. There are numerous reasons this could happen.
To determine whether your thermostat readings are correct, you will need a reliable thermometer and some tape. Attach the thermometer to the wall next to your thermostat with tape and wait about 15 minutes before checking the readouts on both devices.
As long as they are within 3 degrees of each other, everything works correctly. However, if they are more than 3 degrees off, you should reprogram the thermostat.
Set up a program that fits your schedule during the winter months and that transitions from daylight saving time to standard time. For example, if you want a warmer environment when you typically wake up in the early morning, set the thermostat to turn on 20 minutes before you do.
If you plan to leave the house during the week, set the thermostat to a lower temperature and turn it back up when you return. This conserves energy and reduces wear and strain on the furnace, saving you money.
There are many thermostat manufacturers, and the different thermostats are programmed differently. (Some older thermostats lack a programming function; if your thermostat isn’t programmable, consider upgrading.) To learn how to program your thermostat, consult the manual.
Parting shot
Here are some things you should do to service your furnace and get it ready for winter. As you have seen, you can do most of the tasks yourself, but if you are not confident in your skills, you should hire a heating service repair Port Jefferson professional to help you out.
As a rule of thumb, ensure that the professional you hire is experienced and knows what they are doing.