The overall health and functionality of your home’s furnace have a huge impact on how comfortable the environment is inside your home. Ensuring that your furnace is working properly before winter’s grip fully sets in, is essential to maintaining a liveable indoor temperature.
Let’s face it, winter is far from over, especially if you live in a even if you live in a Southwestern state like Texas. We are still months out from the start of spring, which is typically marked by the spring equinox that falls on March 19, 20, or 21st of every year. It’s important to conduct regular furnace maintenance prior to winter, but there is no time like the present. If you haven’t already prepared your furnace for colder temperatures, now is the perfect opportunity to do so.
It is important to keep debris and vegetation (sticks, leaves, branches, dirt) away from your exterior heat pump and A/C compressor, which can cause your unit damage. The best rule of thumb is to clear out at least a 2-3 foot space surrounding these vital home components to ensure there is adequate airflow. Cleaning up around these units will help you have an efficient heating system in the cold months ahead.
Regularly changing your furnace air filters is extremely important to the health of your furnace, but also to the overall indoor air quality. We cannot stress this enough. Depending on the quality of your air filter, you may need to change it every 1-3 months. At the very least, inspect the filter once a month and check for any silt, dust, or dander that may have accumulated on your air filter. If you notice there is blockage, replace the furnace air filter with a new one.
Next up on your furnace maintenance checklist is to inspect the insulation and ductwork. Professionals say that if you can see that the top of the joists in your attic are bare, you’re likely not adequately protected. If this is the case, before you add a fresh layer of batt insulation to the old layer, check your attic ductwork for dust build-up, dust, debris, and even mold. Keep in mind that exposed joints can be re-sealed, but if those ducts have become corroded, you’ll need a professional to repair or replace them.
Carbon monoxide leaks can be deadly if left unchecked. One step to prevent this from happening in regards to your furnace is to check for holes in the exhaust flue, especially where any pipes meet the furnace. Smaller holes can be fixed with a little foil tape, but for flues that have noticeably deteriorated, they’ll have to be replaced.
To prevent your air conditioning unit from inadvertently turning on, it is important that you properly shut down your A/C unit for the winter. Find the outdoor switch to your A/C unit and switch it to off mode. If you live in a part of the United States that sees a lot of snow or falling leaves during the winter, it is recommended that you protect your unit with an HVAC cover.
If you aren’t keen to adhere to the demands of an annual furnace inspection, call in the professionals! Not everyone has the time or know-how to thoroughly inspect every element of their home before winter weather arrives. If after reading the furnace maintenance checklist you still don’t feel comfortable with doing this yourself, feel free to reach out to a licensed furnace technician to properly inspect your heating system.
If you’ve never inspected your furnace before, you may need the help of a professional. Your furnace is such an important piece of equipment and should be maintained to keep it at optimal operating capacity. Keep your local emergency plumber’s number handy. At Elmer’s Air Conditioning and Plumbing, we provide high-quality emergency furnace repair and inspection services in San Antonio, TX, and surrounding areas. To request emergency furnace repair service in San Antonio, schedule online or call 210-570-1717 today. We can’t wait to hear from you!
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