It often seems like winter lasts a long time when the temperatures are cold and the days dreary. At least you can stay cozy and snug in your home when your furnace is working properly. Your furnace works hard when it's cold out, so it's important to take good care of it all winter long. Here are some important things you can do to prevent furnace failure in the winter.
1. Change The Filter Regularly
Never forget to change your filter on time. When a filter is clogged with dust, airflow is restricted. Restricted airflow keeps your furnace from working properly, and it can even cause your furnace to shut down.
Follow the manufacturer's instructions on how often to change the filter, but also consider if your home is dustier than usual. If you're doing work on your house that creates dust or you have several pets inside that shed, you may need to change your filter more often than recommended.
2. Check The Ducts For Leaks
Be sure to check the ducts before cold weather sets in to make sure you're not losing warm air through gaps in the ductwork. If warm air leaks out, your heating costs will go up and waste your money.
You can seal ducts temporarily with duct tape, and you may also want to wrap insulation around them to protect against heat loss when it gets very cold. When warm air is wasted in the attic, your furnace has to run longer to warm up your house, and that could cause problems as the winter wears on.
3. Get Your Furnace Professionally Cleaned
Your furnace should be cleaned so it's ready for a long, cold winter. When the furnace is dusty, it won't work as well, and the dust might even cause your furnace to break down. This is especially true when the combustion area is coated in dust and soot. The burners may not ignite properly and your furnace might shut down to protect itself from damage.
It's important to have a clean furnace, and a heating maintenance and repair company can clean the blower and combustion area so they are clean and functioning properly. Plus, the technician will check parts and perform preventative maintenance on your furnace where necessary.
If you make sure your furnace is clean and serviced, and you make sure there is plenty of airflow with no obstructions, you can rely on your furnace to keep you warm and cozy. Equipment breaks down all the time, but a primary cause is lack of maintenance. By taking good care of your furnace, you'll have lower heating bills and a reduced risk of a furnace breakdown.
For additional tips, get in touch with a local heating service.
Share27 November 2020
Hi there, my name is Shelley. Welcome to my site about electric heating systems. Electric heat has recently fallen out of favor due to the efficiency of natural gas systems. Electric heat is still suitable for small buildings that do not need the high temps provided by upgraded systems. I will use this site to explore all of the building types that can benefit from electric heating systems. I will also share information about system components, installations and repairs. I welcome you to come by often to learn more about this exciting topic. Thanks for coming by. See you soon.