Updated August 3, 2023
You want to protect your big investments and HVAC systems are a big investment with big returns. Your furnace is a necessity. There are a few simple yet useful tips that should help you keep your furnace running smoothly.
1. Keep Your Furnace Clean
Dirt and dust can build up in your ducts and cause your furnace to work less efficiently or even overheat, so you should be doing your part to keep everything clean. For starters, you should be changing your furnace filters regularly. If you have a relatively clean house without a lot of pets, you might be able to get away with changing your filters once every year or so. If you have a lot of pets or you live in a home with a lot of people, you should be changing your filters at least once every three months. You should also have your blower and motor cleaned out every winter to prevent clogging.
2. Your Utility Room Is Not For Storage
A lot of people like to use their utility room for storage, especially if they live in a smaller house and don’t have a lot of space. This is a big mistake. Not only does piling all of your stuff around your furnace hinder the maintenance and even the functionality of your furnace, it can also create a fire hazard. If you find yourself with more stuff than space, consider some storage options that don’t involve stacking everything around your furnace.
3. Smells And Your Furnace
Things like paint, household cleaners and even kitty litter boxes can cause unpleasant or harmful smells to waft through your home’s ducts if they are placed too close to your furnace. Remember that your utility room is not for storage, and that should go double for anything that can stink up a house.
4. Change The Filter Regularly
At a minimum, replace furnace filters every three months. A home with pets and increased activity the filter should be inspected monthly and replaced if necessary. Not only does changing the filter improve the air quality in the home it also increases the life of the machine and reduces energy use. A machine that does not have to work as hard to do its’ job.
5. Schedule Maintenance Regularly
Even though you may be pretty handy around the house, there are certain things that you should never attempt by yourself, and performing regular maintenance on a furnace is near the top of that list. Remember to call a local HVAC repair professional to perform maintenance on your furnace at least once a year, preferably before winter comes around. You will want to make sure that your furnace is in proper working order long before the temperature starts to drop.
By: Frank Prestwood
