Avoid Costly Furnace Repairs Later with Simple Maintenance Now
As much as we hate to admit it, cold weather is coming. A furnace that runs efficiently helps you stay comfortable in the winter, and minimizes your utility bill. A properly-maintained furnace will last longer, and is also less likely to need an expensive heater repair.
HVAC Maintenance to do yourself
- Change your furnace filter
- Change your thermostat batteries
- Set your thermostat for your desired winter temperature
- Reprogram your thermostat
One of the simplest, yet most critical ways to maintain your furnace, is to put in a new filter in late fall and again in early spring. Look in your operating manual to find the appropriate filter type, size and rating, then find the filter in the furnace and swap it out.
The few dollars you spend on a new filter (as opposed to trying to save money by vacuuming an old filter) prevent a wide range of potential problems.
A dirty or clogged filter not only pollutes your indoor air, but makes your furnace work harder. A harder-working furnace is less efficient, raising your energy bill and shortening the life of your heater.
An old filter also restricts air flow, which can cause your furnace to overheat and short-cycle. When overheated, the furnace with trip your High Limit control and shut the heater down. It can also cause other components like your blower motor, capacitor, circuit board and inducer motor to fail before they should.
If your system is coming on and off frequently, even after you change the filter, you may want to have a heating and air conditioning technician visit and make sure all components are working properly.
Changing thermostat batteries and reprogramming the thermostat
Fresh batteries will prevent waking up freezing some winter morning because your thermostat hasn’t triggered your furnace to start heating.
Equally important is reprogramming your thermostat. Set a program that fits your cold-weather schedule and the switch from daylight savings to standard. Time. For example, if you want a warmer home in the morning when you get up, set the thermostat to turn on 20 minutes before you waken. If you are out of the house during the weekday, set the thermostat to run at a lower temperature during that time and heat up when you usually get back. This saves energy and wear and tear on the furnace.
If your thermostat isn’t programmable, it will pay to upgrade.
HVAC Maintenance better left to a pro
Other tasks are better completed by an HVAC expert like the certified technicians at Cincinnati’s Jansen Heating & Cooling. When they come out, your technician should do the following, listed in an Enid (OK) News and Eagle article:
For a gas furnace,
- check inducer amps/volts,
- inspect for leaks,
- examine flue,
- test unit cycle,
- check flame sensor,
- test gas pressure,
- inspect heat exchanger,
- inspect carbon monoxide monitor,
- check static pressure,
- inspect ductwork and
- examine safety features and check accessories
For an electric furnace,
- check amps/volts to elements,
- examine breaker,
- test unit cycle,
- check temperature rise,
- check static pressure,
- inspect ductwork and
- examine safety features and check accessories.
Many homeowners think if the system is only one or two years old, it is OK to skip maintenance. Not true!
The most important time to start annual maintenance is actually with a recently-installed furnace. Your comfort system is your home’s largest and most expensive appliance, so it is makes good sense to take care of it from the start.
If it has been some time since your last professional maintenance, make sure to ask for a safety and health inspection/report from your Jansen technician.