Proper Furnace Maintenance

 

Proper home furnace maintenance can take the Brrrrrr out of winter.  As the chilly days of fall will soon turn into the cold of winter, now is the time to give your furnace a physical check up.  There are things you, as the home owner, should do and others that a service technician should take on. 

As a home owner, you should:

• Replace the air filter every thirty days (throughout the entire year).
• Inspect the heating vents to make sure they are clean and open.  (Closing off vents in certain rooms of the house will make your furnace to run more in the winter and your air conditioner to run more in the summer, creating higher utility bills.)

An experienced Service Technician should provide the following:

• Check the flue vent for any corrosion of the heat exchanger, as well as proper operation.
• The burners should be cleaned and also checked for proper operation.
• The fan should be checked for dirt and cleaned as needed.

If all of these things are addressed and maintained, your furnace should provide efficient heat all season long.  Make sure to set up that appointment with a service technician before the cold weather sneaks up on you and a clogged flue, burner, or fan shuts your system down in the dead of winter.  Layered clothing and chattering teeth should be used for play kept outside of the house!