How to Properly Maintain Your Furnace During the Winter

When the cold chill of winter arrives, your furnace is one of your home's most essential appliances. It
helps keep you warm on even the coldest winter night, which is why it is so important to make sure that
it keeps working all season long. Proper maintenance can go a long way toward ensuring that your
heater not only keeps running but also performs at maximum efficiency, helping save power well at the
same time reducing your carbon footprint. Check out these helpful tips on how to maintain your
furnace.

Be Proactive

Life is busy. It is easy to put off furnace maintenance until the weather starts to change. Unfortunately,
by the time temperatures plummet, it may be too late. The last thing you want is to find out that your
furnace has a problem when it is freezing cold outside. Instead, start your maintenance early before
temperatures start to fall. This will help ensure that your furnace is ready to go the minute it is needed.

Start with A Visual Inspection

A good place to begin is by carefully looking at your furnace. Make sure to check that the pipe that vents
to the outdoors is properly attached to the furnace and positioned correctly. Check out any other tubes
or attachments to make sure that they are safely out of the way. Additionally, if you have a gas furnace,
check for the smell of rotten eggs. This can indicate that gas is leaking from the furnace, which is a
potentially deadly issue that needs to be addressed immediately.

Check The Electrical Connections

Disconnect the power to your furnace. Then, take off the door and check all of the wiring to make sure
that all of the connections are secure.

Clean Your Furnace

Any dust or dirt can interfere with proper furnace operation. Cleaning it before you start it up is the best
way to avoid any problems. Using a soft brush, gently brush away any dirt inside the furnace itself. Use a
vacuum cleaner to pick up any debris that you knock loose.

Inspect The Flame Sensor

If the flame sensor is not working the way that it should, it can keep the furnace from firing up. The
sensor should be cleaned annually. The cleaning process is relatively easy. It just needs to be unscrewed
and wiped down with an emery cloth. When you are done, simply put it back in place and put the door
back on the furnace.

Call in a Professional Repair Company If Necessary

Furnaces can be complex and dangerous. Electric furnaces have a lot of voltage running to them while
gas furnaces are connected to the gas supply. If you have any doubt about your ability to deal with
either of these situations, you should contact a professional to maintain your furnace instead. Annual
maintenance is surprisingly affordable – especially when you consider the peace of mind that comes
along with knowing it was done correctly.

The post How to Properly Maintain Your Furnace During the Winter appeared first on Furnace Repair Site Hamilton.