Furnace Home Maintenance Tips

We completely understand that most homeowners are not particularly interested in spending time in their mechanical rooms, that’s what they call us for, right?

We get it. That being said, a few minutes a month can keep more of your hard-earned dollars in your pocket by preventing unforeseen furnace repairs!

Here are a few things to keep in mind:

Change your furnace filters regularly

The first thing we check on a furnace maintenance call is always the filter due to the fact that they are often neglected in their importance. The filter is the first and often only stage of defence for filtering return air before it gets heated by the furnace, eventually spreading throughout your home. The problems start when the filter begins to clog up, causing diminishing amounts of air to enter the furnace.

The hot heater exchanger inside the furnace depends on this volume of return air to run at a normal operating temperature. Clogged filter = Less air returning to furnace = less heat exchange = furnace running too hot = open limit switches that need replacement! The blower motor also is not designed to be choked by a clogged filter. At least %50 of our blower motor replacement calls can be traced back to the blower motor overheating due to a clogged filter! A simple, pleated filter that is replaced at a regular interval can help prevent mechanical issues both complex and simple!

Take a minute to have a look

A simple visual inspection is a great way of staying on top of the condition and aging of your heating appliances. Are you noticing any dirt or dust build up around the appliance? Is there any discolouring or marking on the outside jacket? Does the ignitor glow red as the furnace kicks on? Does the blower motor sound OK? Note any observations that earn your attention and alert your furnace technician on his next scheduled maintenance visit.

Familiarize yourself with your thermostat

In the technological day and age we currently live in, the variety and styles of thermostats are almost endless. From the primitive “set it and forget it” style to the more complex programmable WIFI varieties, homeowners need to understand that the thermostat is the “brain” that communicates to the furnace the need for heat.

A routine check up of your settings and program before heating season is vital to making sure the furnace comes on when it needs to. Some varieties of thermostats have batteries that seem to die at the most inconvenient times.

Prior to heat season or your next vacation away from your home, get to know your T-stat!