Furnace Care Tips
To stay warm all winter, keep your heating system in good condition. Here are some tips for caring for the most common heating system - a gas forced air furnace. Consult your owner's manual or a furnace repair technician for specific instructions on maintaining your furnace.
Reasons to have your heating system checked regularly:
1 - Safety - Gas furnaces are generally safe. But if not maintained properly, they can creat carbon monoxide - a deadly odorless gas.
2 - Energy efficiency - Like a well-tuned car, a well-tuned furnace uses less fuel.
3 - Convenience - A checkup can keep you from waking up in the middle of the night to find the house cold because the furnace has stopped working.4 - Timely repairs - A company that services your furnace regularly is more likely to respond quickly in an emergency.
Check your owner's manual for service you can do:
The owner's manual usually explains how to clean or replace filters and do other preventative maintenance. You'll also find trouble-shooting tips that may save service calls. If you do not have an owner's manual, contact the manufacturer or a local dealer and ask to buy one.
Clean or change filters regularly.
Your furnace has one or two filters that clean the air as it goes though the system. When filters get dirty, less air can get through, so your furnace has to work harder. Some filters can be cleaned by running them under water; others need to be replaced.
Before the heating season, check the filter size & get extras to have on hand. You can get replacement filters at stores that sell household supplies and hardware.
During the heating season, check the filter(s) every other month and change or clean when dirty.
What to do if the furnace won't start:
Make sure the electrical switch on the furnace is on, and that the circuit breaker for the furnace is on.
Make sure the thermostat is set highter than the room temperature on the thermometer.
If your furnace vents exhaust through plastic pipes, make sure the outlets are not blocked. The furnace will automatically shut off if these pipes are blocked. Check whether a plastic tube leads to a basement floor drain. Make sure this tube is not blocked or kinked.
If the furnace still won't start, call your furnace service company or the gas company.
What to do if you smell gas:
Leave the house immediately and call the gas company from a neighbor's home.
Follow the gas company's instructions. If gas is leaking, any open flame such as a pilot light or a spark such as electronic ignition on the furnace or water heater could cause an explosion.
(courtesy of Home Works News)