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When the cold of winter begins to snip at your nose, it’s time to turn up the heat! These are the moments when you begin to appreciate your furnace and heating system the most. Could you imagine coming home after fighting through a snowstorm and not being able to warm your toes in the heat?
If you don’t keep up proper heating maintenance, this could be your end result. It’s essential to ensure that your heating system is working as it should throughout the entire year. Doing so is the best way to give yourself peace of mind in knowing that it’s ready for the colder months.
It’s time to keep cozy all winter long by following these few furnace and heating maintenance tips! Here’s what you need to know!
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Clean the Units
Before winter comes, there’s a good chance that you didn’t get much use out of your furnace or heating system. Because the heating system goes so long without use, it’s common for dust, particles, and other debris or contaminants to surround your unit. When this happens, turning on your unit before cleaning it out properly can cause issues.
Instead, be sure to vacuum around your unit and give the entire system a good cleaning before turning it on for the winter. A clean unit is a working unit. Besides, you don’t want to be breathing in all of the dust and other debris that fall in and around your unit.
Make sure you take the time to clean it properly for your health’s sake as well.
Switch Out the Filters
Even though you didn’t use your heating system before now, it’s still vital that you switch out the filters. Filters that are dirty or clogged can affect the way your heating system and unit run. A bad filter can potentially increase your energy bill or result in expensive repairs down the road.
To ensure that your filter remains in good condition, be sure to switch it out every 30 days. This is something that you need to do even during the summer. Going more than 90 days without a filter change can result in damages.
The return air filter grille should also be checked and cleaned as well.
Clean Out Drainage Tubes
If you have a propane furnace or a natural gas furnace, then you’ll need to check the drainage tube for water. These types of systems create a build-up of water. Although most of this water will release as steam, some of it won’t.
The water that doesn’t escape as steam will drain out into a drip pan. The drip pan is there to collect any water that builds up. However, you’ll need to ensure that the drainage tube remains clean and free of any blockages at all times.
If the tube becomes clogged, water will begin to back up. When this happens, your unit’s flame sensor can become damaged. To clean out your drainage tube and prevent these issues from arising, you have a few options.
You can use compressed air to clear out the tube. Once this is done, use white vinegar to flush it out and remove leftover residue.
Perform Thermostat Care
You’ll need to take care of your thermostat as well. Your system’s thermostat can tell you more about your system than you think. For starters, begin by turning on your thermostat and listening for how your system responds.
If you turn the heat on and hear your system kick on a stay on as it should, then it passes the first test. However, if it turns on and then kicks back off after only a few minutes, then this is a sign of short cycling. Short cycling might mean that the system is overheating or that the thermostat needs replacement.
You should also ensure that all wires are fitted properly.
Check for Unusual Smells
One way to tell that something isn’t right without having to do much of anything is to use your sense of smell. If you smell something unusual coming from your heating system, then it’s time to do some further inspecting. Smelling a foul smell of rotten eggs could be a sign of a gas leak in your unit.
This is dangerous for your home and your family. If you do notice this type of smell, be sure to contact a professional technician as soon as possible. You want to check your venting pipe as well.
Check that it’s secure and sitting in the correct angle. Use all of your senses to detect anything that seems out of the ordinary. If you notice anything unusual, don’t hesitate to call in the professionals.
Schedule Regular Maintenance
Although there are many things that you can do to stay on top of your heating system’s or furnace’s productivity, you should also keep in mind that scheduling regular maintenance is essential for your unit. There are many things that a professional technician will check for and repair that you might not be aware of.
Scheduling routine maintenance is a sure way to keep your unit functioning as it should. This also gives you some peace of mind. Be sure to have maintenance scheduled throughout the entire year and not just before the cold winter months.
Put These Heating Maintenance Tips to Use!
Before the cold months have a chance to creep up on you, be sure to put these heating maintenance tips to use! Remember to use these tips all throughout the year to ensure your system is ready for winter!
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