.png)
You don’t want to come home this winter to find out that your furnace stopped working while you were away one day. The good news is that it’s easy to stay ahead of furnace problems and even prevent them from happening at all.
The answer to future furnace problems is furnace maintenance. And if you haven’t scheduled an appointment for a furnace tune-up yet this year, now is a great time to do so. You can keep reading to learn more about the benefits of furnace maintenance ahead of the winter season.
Change the Air Filter
It’s a good idea to go ahead and check your air filter ahead of turning your heater on in the fall or winter. You may have forgotten to change the filter at the end of last year, leaving a dirty filter in place. You want to start out the season fresh with a clean air filter to give your heater the best chance at having an efficient season. Then you want to follow up by changing the air filter on time each month.
Inspect Exhaust Pipes and Air Vents
Keep an eye on air vents around your home, and the exhaust pipes that leave the house. When it comes to the inside of your home, you want to make sure that each vent has space around them for air to blow out. If you have furniture blocking vents, this interferes with airflow through your entire home. Heat may end up trapped in the ductwork instead of heating your home. It’s also good idea to take the vent covers off and clean them off in case any dust and dirt has built up.
When it comes to the exhaust vents outside, clear any yard ornaments or debris away from these pipes. If you look inside and there is a lot of build up, it’s a good idea to clean out the exhaust openings. There are specialized brushes that you can purchase at a hardware store to make the cleaning process easy.
Plan for Professional Maintenance
Once you complete an inspection, give us a call and schedule your professional maintenance appointment. If you noticed anything concerning when you were changing out the air filter and checking all of your vents, let us know about your concerns.
We will also look inside and around your heater to make sure that everything looks OK. We can tighten parts and replace components that are beginning to wear down. This is the best way to ensure that your heater will work all winter long without any hiccups.
Check Household Alarms
Your final step is to check the smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors around your home to make sure that they are all working. If you need to replace batteries, go ahead and do that now. If there is an area of your home that does not have a smoke detector or carbon monoxide detector, buy some new ones and have them installed.
Our team can even help with this when we visit your home. It is crucial for you to have both smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors in place, especially when you have gas lines running to your home. These detectors can alert you to smoke or gas leaks so you can get the problem fixed before it becomes an emergency situation.