Come wintertime, the furnace is your home’s greatest ally. Your home’s furnace needs to be properly maintained to ensure that it can provide the optimal heating performance without wasting energy or risking the presence of harmful emissions. Deferring furnace maintenance can cause a host of potential issues, including low air quality, humidity issues, and expensive repairs.
Tips for Furnace Maintenance
Regular maintenance is necessary to avoid furnace problems. Here is how you can achieve this:
Start Furnace Maintenance Early
You don’t have to wait for the cold breeze of winter to start before you do your furnace checks. Don’t risk suffering a cold night due to a sudden furnace failure. In general, you should conduct your maintenance at least once a year when the weather is still warm or mildly cold. Doing this step early gives you enough lead time to discover any issues due for repair.
Do a Visual Inspection
Before you even start doing any work on your furnace, begin with a quick visual test. If you have a gas furnace, check if your venting pipe is fastened and angled well. Inspect the draining tubes as well. While doing a visual inspection, it also helps if you can sell the gas line to detect if there is a leak. The presence of a smell similar to rotten eggs should give you a clue.
Clean the Drainage Tube
Most furnace systems today produce wastewater as they heat. Often, some of this water is removed from the system as exhaust steam. However, it is possible that a portion of this water drains to the drip pan shared with the air conditioning system. When there is a clog on the drainage tube, the water can overflow the drip pan, causing the flame sensor to shut down the system. This is why it is important for you to drain this tube — you can do this by detaching it from the drip pan and introducing compressed air through the pipes. Adding a cup of vinegar can also help.
Check the Thermostat Wiring
It is also critical to check the furnace thermostat wires to ensure they are snug and properly fitted. This helps prevent any fire hazards that can affect the system. It will also ensure that you are getting enough power to your systems.
Keep Flame Sensor Clean
Your furnace will not work if your gas furnace has a dirty flame sensor. Do your best to clean this annually. Start by unscrewing it from the furnace and cleaning it with an emery cloth.
Change Furnace Filters
If you have been using your furnace filters for quite a while, it will be best to change them regularly. Doing so will give you at least 5% to 15% on your utility bills. Faulty furnace filters can significantly restrict airflow, straining the fan motor causing early burning out or overheating of the system. It can also cause the motors to overwork, using more energy, thereby increasing utility bills. Ideally, you should replace your furnace filters at least once every one to three months. For homes with pets or smokers, increase the frequency of replacement.
Regularly Dust and Vacuum
One of the basic maintenance you can do for your furnace is to dust and vacuum it. Loosen the dust and debris by using a soft-tipped paint brush. After brushing, use a vacuum to remove additional debris.
Regular furnace checks can save you tons of money on repairs. It also helps provide additional savings on your monthly utility bills. Make this part of your routine. Create a checklist of the maintenance tasks you should accomplish for your home before winter comes to ensure safety and cost-savings.
