If you live in a cold area, having your furnace ready for the winter is a big priority. Read on to know how to keep your furnace in top condition for the winter.
Most of us want our heating system to be up and running before winter gets here, especially if you live in a cold area. In major parts of Canada and some parts of the USA, furnaces are the more common and popular source to heat your home.
Furnaces aren’t turned on by people until mostly October, meaning they have remained switched off entirely for six months or more.
Hence, it becomes vital to carry out a few maintenances before winter arrives. These maintenance tips will ensure that your furnace not just works properly but also gives you optimum performance. Below we have mentioned a few essential activities that should be performed at least once every year to keep your furnace working without a glitch.
Seal The Drafty Areas
Some of the older houses have a lot of drafty areas. Every home is not created equally, so you need to check your home carefully and try your best to seal off the drafts, as you don’t want heat generated by the furnace to get out. So if your home inspection reveals some old doors or broken windows that are leaking in the draft, then you definitely should fix them before the winter sets in.
Inspect Your Fan And Blower Motor
Air is circulated into the vents by the blower motor, and its functionality can be hampered by dust. To avoid this, you need to turn your system off entirely and clean the blower motor simultaneously with the heat exchanger.
There are some steps to clean the blower properly too. First, you need to get the blower switch. Use a screwdriver to dismantle the fan from the cabinet, carefully minding the wiring and your fingers in the process. Getting the wirings compromised will mess up your cabinet edges.
You can use a vacuum hose to get the cabinet cleaned, following it up by cleaning the motor and the blower wheel utilizing a paintbrush or a toothbrush. Once the blower motor is cleaned, you might need to lubricate it, but double-check the user manual to see if your furnace requires it to be lubricated.
Finally, before removing the bearings, you need to clean the caps on the blower bearings to lubricate them. The furnace fan can be manually turned off while using it in the winter, or you can have it on auto mode. Check out heatingandairspartanburgsc.com/blog/furnace-fan-on-or-auto-in-winter to see what would work better for your home.
Check The Batteries
For the most part, the smoke and carbon monoxide detectors go off on the constant beeping because they probably need a battery change. As these components are playing a major part in protecting you and your family, you should not skip replacing the batteries.
Essential components like the smoke detector play a crucial part in letting you know if the air in your home is healthy, so you can tell that your furnace isn’t functioning correctly if the smoke detectors go off. So keep the smoke detector working correctly at all times.
Get the Filters, Ducts, And Vents Cleaned
You must ensure proper airflow to have the correct transfer of heat. That’s why you must get your vents cleaned and have your filters replaced at least twice each year. This is more critical during the winter months as you use your HVAC more regularly during this time.
There are many air and filter cleaning systems to use when having clean air is your goal. Firstly you need to remove the vents using a screwdriver, then clean them using microfiber cloths, a brush, or a vacuum cleaner with a hose.
If you don’t want the dust to blow out of your registers and blow all over your home, you will need to cover your registers with cleaning cloths or paper towels. You will need to switch the heat supply off, then use the fan to get the dust blown out of the furnace and into your register.
You need to remove the debris from the supply registers by using the vacuum. You can use a long broom to reach into the piping system if you don’t have a long hose attachment. After that, you can remove the dust from the air registers.
After this is done, get into your main ducts by turning off the fand and the entire power supply to your system. Cleaning here will require a heavy-duty vacuum cleaner, as a regular home vacuum cleaner will not suffice. Getting professional help is a good idea as it is very messy. After the cleanup job is done, you can replace your filter with a clean one.
Get The Heat Exchanger Cleaned
One of the more critical components of your furnace is the heat exchanger. Its primary function is to heat the air that generates the heat in your home. To ensure that the heat exchanger is working correctly, you need to get it cleaned at least once a year of the dust and debris.
Before you clean the heat exchanger, you need to turn the system off along with the gas. After that, you can use a brush to clean any debris or dirt in the exchanger block.
If there is any hardened buildup, you can dampen a cloth and clean the insides with that. Then, you need to clean all the chambers of the block assembly by using a narrow vacuum attachment.
You can also consider a professional cleaning service if you have an older system. The HVAC specialists will be able to check the exchanger for cracks and will have the tools required to reach all the right parts.
Summing Up
Going through the steps mentioned above will ensure that your furnace is in top condition and functioning perfectly before the winter comes. The furnace must be in its best condition for you to stay warm indoors during the cold winter months, so don’t make any compromises when it comes to the regular maintenance of the furnace.
Cleaning the furnace properly will ensure that it performs the way it is supposed to, and it will provide you with the warm air you need to keep you comfortable all winter long.
