Preparing Your Furnace for the Winter

During the cold Atlanta winters, one of the most important things to have in your home is a working furnace. When you have a properly maintained furnace, the appliance will work efficiently and deliver the maximum amount of heat without wasting energy or producing harmful emissions.

Now that the fall and winter are quickly approaching, you want to make sure that your furnace is operating at optimum levels, especially since soon, the temperatures outside will drop to uncomfortable levels that can affect your comfort and sleep. To ensure your furnace is in good working order come fall and winter, follow these maintenance tips.

Start Maintenance Early

The last thing you want to do is ignore your furnace all spring and summer then turn it on for the first time in October when the temperatures suddenly get icy cold. All you want is your furnace failing when it’s practically freezing in the house. After all, frigid temperatures can affect your quality of sleep and make you extremely uncomfortable in your own home. And, if you have little ones at home, it’s hard to watch them shiver.

Want to prevent a furnace failure on a really cold night? Prevent this from happening by having your furnace maintained early on, for example, in the late summer or early fall, when the weather is still warm or tolerable. By getting a jump on your furnace maintenance, you have plenty of time to take care of any issues before they strike on a really cold night.

To conduct annual furnace maintenance:

• Make sure the venting pipe is securely fastened at an angle.
• Make sure all tubes are securely fastened.
• Smell the gas line. If you detect the smell of rotten eggs, this means the furnace could have a gas leak.
• Detach the drainage tube and pipe and blow compressed air into it, then drain the pipe.
• Pour one cup of white vinegar in the drainage tube and pipe to prevent buildup.
• Shut off the power, remove the furnace doors and slightly tug on the wires to ensure they are properly fitted.
• Use a soft toothbrush to loosen dust and debris, then vacuum the loose dust and debris with a portable vacuum.
• If the flame sensor is dirty, it will prevent the unit from working. To prevent this, clean it at least once a year with an emery cloth.

Hiring a Boston HVAC Specialist

Do you feel uncomfortable cleaning your furnace on your own? If any of these above steps make you uneasy, contact Winters® Home Services to have a professional HVAC technician handle the furnace maintenance for you. Even if you feel comfortable with some of these tasks, it’s still better to hire a professional who can thoroughly inspect your furnace and make sure it’s running efficiently.

Next: How Long Do Hot Water Heaters Last?