Don’t Turn On Your Furnace Before Checking These 3 Things First

With winter just around the corner, it’s almost time to take your warm clothes out of storage and turn up the heating of your home to celebrate the end of the year in comfort. However, before you turn up the heat, it’s crucial to inspect your furnace first!

No one wants to end up having to deal with furnace problems at the height of winter, but some do because they didn’t check their furnaces beforehand. If you don’t want to end up spending the holidays freezing, make sure to do the following things before turning on your heating system:

1. Check the Furnace Filter

The filters of your furnace are crucial to ensuring that it can emit heat well and function properly. Not only does a furnace filter trap airborne contaminants for air quality, but it also keeps them out of your heating system, ensuring that all components are protected from damage.

When you turn on your furnace without checking how clean or dirty they are, you’ll be putting the coils and other airflow parts of the filters to damage from debris. As a result, your furnace ends up having to make more of an effort than required to be able to do its job well.

To keep your furnace working correctly for a long time and to prevent investing in costly furnace repairs, you must check the filters to make sure that they are free from dirt and dust. Depending on your medical conditions and the size of your home, you need to change out your filters every two to three months. Changing your Furnace Filter is vital to the life of your HVAC System.

2. Test the Thermostat

Aside from the parts of your furnace, you must also check your thermostat to determine whether it’s working correctly or not. Does your thermostat work properly, or is it making an unusual noise? Do you smell something strange coming out of your heating vents?

Often, furnace problems don’t come from the furnace itself—it also involves the thermostat! Before the weather grows colder, turn up the thermostat to see if your furnace turns on and there are no problems that affect the furnace’s performance. 

Your heating system won’t always work automatically once the temperature begins to drop; it may not function as expected if there’s something wrong with the thermostat. Make sure to switch your thermostat to heating and change the batteries every six months. If your thermostat isn’t working, have the system checked by a professional.

3. Inspect the Vents Outside

Besides the area around the furnace and the insides of your home, the exterior should also be inspected. Once you’ve checked your heating system and thermostat, it’s also worth seeing the state of the intake and exhaust vents. 

The vents outside your home are prone to extreme weather conditions, which could affect your furnace’s performance. When checking your vents, make sure that they are clear from rodents, leaves, bird nests, and other things that could cause problems.

Vents are crucial, especially if you have a high-efficiency furnace. To ensure the optimal functioning of your HVAC system and lower your energy bills, remember to clean your vents regularly.

Conclusion

The furnace is crucial to having a comfortable and enjoyable end of the year. As such, you must be responsible for ensuring whether it’s functioning correctly or you need to call for furnace repair. As long as you maintain and inspect your furnace regularly, you’re sure to have a cozy and warm winter!

Are you having problems with your furnace? Then, leave the job to our professionals at Legacy Heating! We provide high-quality furnace repair, replacement, and maintenance all over Edmonton. Contact us today for a free no-obligation quote on a new system!