Furnace Maintenance
If you want your furnace to continue to work for its entire lifetime, you need to have regular maintenance on it. You should do maintenance on it at least twice a year, more if it is older than ten years old. There are many things that you can do on your own to maintain it, but some things you will need a professional for.
If you need a professional, there are many technicians that you could seek out. You can ask them about maintaining your furnace in Cincinnati, Ohio to see what they can tell you about the process. They can also help you to learn how to do things on your own.
Logan AC & Heat Services Cincinnati
(513) 224-5200
11264 Grooms Rd., C, Blue Ash, OH 45242, United States
https://www.logan-inc.com/cincinnati/
This article will give you some common furnace maintenance tips. It will tell you which things you can do on your own and which you will need a professional for. You can also do more research to find the information that you are seeking.
Common Maintenance
- Check Heat Exchanger –Check the device that will safely transfer the heat that is in your furnace’s combustion chamber to your ductwork: https://www.rsi.edu/blog/hvacr/heat-exchanger-hvac-system/. This can develop cracks in it over time and will need to be replaced. You can replace it on your own or have a professional do it for you if you don’t feel comfortable doing it.
- Clear Space – Clean the space around your outdoor unit, making sure that you get all the debris, weeds, and other vegetation away from the unit. There should be at least a couple of feet clear all the way around the unit to prevent damage and to ensure that your furnace will be able to draw in clean air. This is something simple that you can do, and you should do it often.
- Clean Burners – The burners take in cold air and mix it with fuel to produce warm air for your home. The dust and debris need to be cleaned off regularly to ensure that the combustion will happen in the way it should happen. They can be cleaned easily with a damp cloth and should be done at least once a month during the winter.
- Clean Vents and Chimney – Vents and chimneys should also be cleaned at least once a year and more if you think that they need it. All the dirt and debris should be removed when you clean them – this can be done by a professional, but you could also do it on your own. If you don’t keep them clean, you risk the chance of causing a fire in these areas.
- Humidifier Cleaning – If you use a humidifier – a device that puts moisture in the air to keep your home more comfortable – often, it needs to be cleaned regularly, too. Learn more about that here. This device can be turned off and on when you need it, or it can stay on all the time just like your furnace. It should be cleaned at least once a month during the season.
- Air Filter Needs to be Cleaned or Changed – Air filters need to be changed or cleaned at least once a month, especially during the season. This keeps the dust and debris from gathering and preventing your unit from working properly. This debris can restrict airflow, contaminate the air that you breathe, and slow down the operation of the system.
- Fan Inspection – Inspect the fan on a regular basis, as well, so that you can see if there is any damage to it and to make sure that it is working as it should. It will need to be cleaned if you see dust and debris on it that will prevent it from spinning as it should. This will help the air circulate better throughout your home and will help your furnace to last longer.
- Lubricate All Moving Parts –Lubricate all the parts that move on your system so that they will work correctly. This will help your whole system to work more efficiently and save you money on costly repairs later. This allows your system to last a lot longer than if you didn’t do this.
- Seal All Leaks – If you have leaks around your home, they need to be sealed so that your system will work to keep your home warmer in the winter. Leaks can make your furnace work harder to keep your home comfortable. It is easier to seal your leaks than it is to replace your furnace because it was working too hard.
- Check Your Thermostat – If you notice that your furnace suddenly isn’t keeping your home as warm as it once was, check your thermostat. It may need to have parts repaired or it might need to be replaced completely. Consider switching to a programmable thermostat if your system allows you to have one – it could save you a lot of money each month.
Conclusion
There are many things that you need to work on to keep your furnace working as it should. A little maintenance can go a long way in keeping your home warm and comfortable. It is also a lot less expensive than if you need to replace it because you didn’t do the maintenance.
