When you imagine an idyllic winter, you’re probably dreaming of cozy nights, holiday meals, and snow frosting your windows.
What you probably aren’t hoping for are nights spent shivering because of a broken furnace.
Did you know that replacing your furnace can cost you up to $7,000?
A hefty bill like that does not bode well for the holiday season. But, how do you maintain your furnace and prevent any unnecessary repairs?
Read on to discover 7 tips for furnace maintenance! By spending some time upfront on your furnace maintenance checklist, you’ll save yourself a lot of money and strife later on!
1. Check Your Furnace Early
A furnace is an appliance in your home that likely isn’t given much thought. It runs itself and shouldn’t need to be replaced often. Many homeowners may have never done any work to maintain their furnaces.
However, the furnace keeps your home warm, which is especially important in the colder months of the year.
The colder it gets, the harder your furnace has to work to heat the house. Therefore, the more likely it is to break down or need repairs.
You don’t want to have your furnace down while temperatures are below-freezing outside. It’s best to start your annual furnace maintenance earlier in the year to be safe.
Performing your furnace care in the fall is a best practice to ensure that you go into winter confident.
2. Clean Around Your Furnace
While cleaning the furnace itself is important, it’s also important to keep the area around your furnace clean and free of any flammable objects.
When there is dirt, debris, or just a build-up of clutter around the furnace, you’re increasing the chances that the furnace will break down or be a fire hazard.
Just like you clean all of the other areas of your home regularly, add the furnace area to that list too!
Make it a habit to never store flammable objects near your furnace.
3. Assess Your Thermostat
One sign that your furnace may need repairs is that your thermostat isn’t reflecting the correct temperatures.
If your thermostat is reading a certain temperature that you don’t think is accurate, it may need to be replaced or rewired. If that’s the case, your furnace won’t be able to function either.
For assistance in calibrating your thermostat, reach out to an HVAC technician who is certified to analyze thermostats.
They can also check that the thermostat’s wires are tight and installed correctly.
4. Change the Air Filters
Air filters work to keep the air quality inside your house pristine. Essentially, they keep the bad stuff out and the good stuff in. Therefore, neglecting your air filters can be dangerous to your health.
By neglecting your air filters, allergens, pests, and bacteria are more likely to enter your home and be breathed in by your family.
Air filters need to be regularly changed to keep them functioning at top quality. Plus, your furnace will not be as effective if your air filters aren’t cleaned.
Luckily, changing the air filters is a relatively easy task that anyone can do!
5. Empty the Drainage Tube
Your furnace has a drainage tube that collects water that is created by the heat of the furnace. While some of this water turns into steam, some just collect in the drainage tube.
If that drainage tube clogs or becomes too dirty, there is nowhere for the water to collect. This might cause the water to overflow, which could result in several issues for your furnace.
Visually check your drainage tube to ensure that it’s clean and if not, clean it out manually by blowing air through it or using chemicals to remove any build-up.
6. Clean the Vents in Your House
Another neglected area of your home may be the vents. The vents are the delivery method for the air and heat that circulates throughout your home.
Make sure that the vents are clean of any dust or debris and that they are open for air to flow freely.
A common mistake people make is covering their air vents with furniture or other objects. This can make the furnace-less effective and may be causing your energy bill to be higher than it needs to be. It also means that your furnace is working overtime to heat your house.
Although it’s a chore that no one likes to do, cleaning the vents is a necessary task.
7. Work with a Furnace Maintenance Technician
While most routine, annual maintenance on your furnace can be done yourself, if you do happen to notice a larger problem, you’ll want to reach out to an HVAC professional.
The furnace is a costly item to repair and can also be dangerous if not handled correctly.
So, when in doubt, contact an HVAC technician who has experience working with furnaces. While this will cost you upfront, they may be able to save you money in the long run by diagnosing your furnace repair problems more accurately.
Don’t Neglect the Furnace
For most people, the holidays are already a busy time of year when there seem to be a million and one tasks to do. Adding another item to that list may be a chore, but it must be done.
By following these 7 furnace tips, you may very well be saving yourself money and time in the future.
And if caring for your furnace seems out of your depth or you notice a larger problem at hand, make sure to contact an HVAC professional for help.
If you’re in Mt Vernon, Fredericktown, Howard, Gambier, or Bellville in Ohio, contact us today for all of your furnace maintenance needs!
