A Furnace Maintenance Checklist to Keep You Warm During Winter Season

Posted by Alex Marshall on January 14th, 2020

The portable HVAC systems are usually trouble-free and easy to maintain. Regular maintenance is necessary to run your heating apparatus efficiently. Whenever a heating device experiences malfunction, one of its key components like a thermostat, heat source, or distribution channel might be the cause of the problem. The failure mostly originates from the source whenever a furnace stops functioning.

The furnace may have lost the power or the energy source, be it electricity, gas, or oil, may not be reaching the unit. Even if it’s on, the warm air might not be entering the room because of a problem with the blower. A faulty thermostat could also keep the equipment from turning on or lead to repeated turning on and off. Whatever the reason may be, every instrument requires regular inspections and restoration.

Winterizing your home appliances, including furnace, leads to its efficient functioning and helps reduce the HVAC expenses by decreasing heat loss. Many households opt for hiring the services of a reliable HVAC contractor to prepare their heating systems for the upcoming winter season, while others take their chances with it by themselves.

The following is a comprehensive furnace cleaning and maintenance checklist that will help you keep yourself and family members warm during winter season:

Calibration of Thermostat

Improper calibration of thermostat could increase your energy bills. Thermostat loses its proper calibration due to dust entering with time. To overcome this issue, you should ask your HVAC service provider to calibrate your thermostat at least once a year. You could also install a carrier smart thermostat that you can control remotely via an internet connection.

Clean Your Furnace’s Burners

The majority of the energy efficiency can be gained or lost through your furnace’s burners. It happens so many times that during the useful life of the furnace, corrosion or rust develops and keeps on accumulating on the burners because of an undetected condensate leak.

Increase Home Insulation System

An adequate amount of insulation is necessary to keep the entire house warm from the outside cold. The heating system at your home has put in a double shift due to insufficient insulation during winter. You can reduce your energy bills by adding insulation to your house walls and attics.

Inspect and Seal the Ductwork

According to a study, 10 to 30 percent of cold or heated air escapes the system through non-sealed ducts. The air which escapes these ducts through crawl space or attic adds hundreds of dollars to your energy bills. With time, the ductwork, which transports air throughout your house, often results in damage.

Due to leaky ducts, the inside air catches contaminants and pollutants that can cause various kinds of diseases related to breathing. Such wear and tear can severely reduce the performance of your furnace if not rectified in time. The best approach is to use a metal tape to mend the damage, followed by the insulation of the ducts.

Change Your Furnace’s Filters

The indoor air quality drops considerably due to the constant accumulation of dirt and debris in the HVAC units. A new furnace costs significant money, whereas a new filter is not that costly at all, so why not spend some dollars on a new filter to avoid permanent damage to your furnace.

Using old filters or repairing them might cause recurrent mechanical failures to your furnace due to an extra amount of stress it has to endure. Replacing your old heater with a new one will help you prepare well for extreme cold in advance. In this way, your furnace will last for the whole winter season without interruptions.

Installing a new filter doesn’t guarantee full-time heating service; you will have to clean it at least once in one- or two-month time period to prevent dirt from circulating inside your home. Dusty filters cause your furnace to work double its capacity, which could also increase your energy bills.

Some of these maintenance tips are easy to execute, which would result in the efficient working of your furnace; you should also consider investing in professional HVAC products and services and preventive and maintenance plans.