Start the heating season with a clean furnace to save energy dollars and ensure your family’s comfort and safety. Since furnaces use combustible fuel, they should be checked at least once during the heating season by a licensed HVAC professional.

• Check and change the air filter. It may not seem like an important part of your HVAC system, but the filter impacts the system’s efficiency and lifetime. When they’re overly dirty, furnaces have to work harder and longer, which shortens their lifetimes. Make a note to check the filter monthly to ensure dependable performance.

  If anyone in your home suffers from allergies, consider upgrading the filter if you currently use the flat, inexpensive types. The pleated filters do cost more, but they trap many more offending particles, including pollen, dust, dust mite waste, mold spores and pet dander.

• Make sure all the vents are clean and unobstructed so that the air travels freely through the ductwork. If you notice the area around some of the supply registers is overly dusty, make a note to tell your HVAC technician about it. Leaking ductwork not only wastes energy, it also harms indoor air quality and can pull carbon monoxide (CO) into your home’s air.
• Have the furnace professionally serviced. Combustion furnaces need to be inspected annually so that they burn cleanly and safely. An HVAC professional will clean and adjust its parts, and set the optimal fuel to air ratio. The technician will test the safety switches, make sure the flue is clear, lubricate the motor and test the belt. He will test the thermostat and recalibrate if necessary.
• Test your CO detectors. If you don’t have one and use gas appliances, you should install at least one in the bedroom area at least 15 feet away from any gas appliance and bathrooms. CO detectors are the only way to know if CO is present.

A clean and adjusted furnace will keep you dependably and safely warm all winter. If you’d like to learn more, contact Powers Heating & Air, providing HVAC services for Peachtree City homeowners.

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.

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