Maintaining your furnace is vital for optimum indoor comfort during the coming winter. However, proper upkeep also serves other very important purposes such as keeping monthly operating costs low and ensuring safe operation. Because many of the most critical maintenance procedures are not suitable do-it-yourself tasks, proper furnace maintenance should always include an annual tune-up and inspection by a qualified HVAC service technician.

In addition to that yearly professional care, here are more basic steps you can take for maintaining your furnace yourself.

Change the air filter.

Proper airflow is among the most important parameters for maximum energy efficiency and heating performance. The furnace filter should be checked monthly. It’s an easy DIY procedure. If the filter appears dirty or dusty, replace it immediately. Otherwise, replace the furnace filter with a quality pleated filter every other month without fail.

Check the vents.

Make sure all supply vents and return vents in every room are open and not obstructed by furniture or other objects. Closing vents in individual rooms that may be unoccupied isn’t a good idea. This can unbalance airflow throughout the entire system and may diminish furnace performance and efficiency.

Feel for cold spots.

If a certain room stays stubbornly chilly while other rooms are comfortable, feel the furnace airflow entering through the supply vent. It should be approximately the same temperature and same volume of air as other rooms. If the airflow feels deficient or too cold, ductwork issues affecting that individual room, such as excessive air leakage or a duct segment which has become detached, could be at fault.

Verify programmable thermostat settings.

Make sure you’ve programmed the right temperature settings for colder weather and the shorter days/longer nights of winter. During daytime when the house is occupied, the Department of Energy recommends 68 degrees. When occupants are away, or overnight when everyone’s asleep, the temperature may be cranked down as low as 60 degrees.

For qualified professional service for maintaining your furnace, contact Powers Heating & Air.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Peachtree City, Georgia and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Guide or call us at 770-487-2040. 

Credit/Copyright Attribution: “geralt/Pixabay”