Five Steps to Maintain Your Furnace for the Upcoming Cold Winter
Winter is on its way, and it could be a very cold miserable season for Georgia residents if your heat is not working properly inside your home. To ensure that your furnace is in excellent working order to handle the cold weather, make sure that you schedule a maintenance visit with an experienced quality HVAC Company. Not only will it help to avoid problems, but it will also extend the lifespan of your furnace.
Here are five steps to help you prepare your home furnace to operate efficiently without wasting energy or risking harmful emissions.
1. Start Your Maintenance Early
With Murphy’s law, if your furnace is not going to work correctly, it will fail at the worst possible time, which would be during the coldest part of the winter or a storm. By being proactive with your furnace maintenance, you can prevent this problem from happening. The same applies to your HVAC system by a second maintenance check in the spring that will help identify issues before warmer weather arrives.
2. Perform a Visual Inspection
You or a professional HVAC company should inspect the ductwork, heating registers, and vents. The venting pipe should be securely fastened and angled correctly. Inspect the blower belt for cracks. To be safe, always turn off the power to the home’s furnace at the main circuit breaker. Remove the steel cover of the air handler to view the blower belt, which is the largest rubber belt you can see. If there are cracks in the belt, dust blowing out of registers, poor connections, or significant leaks in the ducts, contact an HVAC professional.
3. Change the Furnace Filter
Furnace filters need to be replaced regularly no matter what size they are since a dirty filter can spread dirt, allergens, etc. throughout your home. A dirty air filter compromises the entire system and drastically reduces the lifetime of the system.
To check an air filter, hold it up to the light; if you have trouble seeing through the filter membrane, replace it. It is recommended to replace the air filter every month. There are other options such as HEPA filter, electrostatic filter, or pleated filter that may last longer and provide improved air quality.
4. Clean the Furnace
Dirt and dust can cause significant damage to a furnace. A dirty furnace increases a home’s energy bill by burning more fuel than it usually needs. Regular maintenance of the furnace’s motor, blower, and filter will increase efficiency and help drive down the high energy bills.
5. Learn to Program Your Thermostat
Energy Star reports that a programmable thermostat can save up to thirty percent off your home’s utility bill, so it is recommended to install and learn how to operate a thermostat.
Repair or Service
If your HVAC is not working at peak performance, a repair might be required or at least a service check. Make sure to call an experienced quality HVAC Company who will restore it to top condition.
Regular Maintenance
When you purchase an HVAC system, some manufacturers require regular maintenance, or they will void out your warranty. With proper maintenance, you can prevent costly repairs and experience worry-free comfort for years to come. It will help to maintain a longer life of your equipment and protect your manufacturer’s warranty. It will help prevent emergency system failures. You will get better efficiency and capacity by changing your filters and other services. Your reputable HVAC company usually provides a Maintenance Contract, which will give you a discount on any repairs, priority status, 24-hour answering service, etc. You may want to consider this method and get a quote.
If you have any problems or questions with your HVAC system, contact your local Heating and Air company?
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