Winter is here and it is a good idea to make sure your furnace has the best chance to continue keeping your family warm for the whole winter. By checking a few things on the furnace, you are able to prevent many malfunctions that could lead to expensive repairs during the winter months. In the future, you can start these types of preparations in the fall so that you can plan ahead for any repairs. So, without further ado, our expert HVAC technicians at Done Plumbing, Heating, Cooling and Electric share their best advice to prepare your furnace for winter:
Prepare Your Furnace for Winter
The Basics of Fall Furnace Maintenance
Although you’ll find some jobs that need to be done by professionals, you can take care of some of the basics yourself. One of the first things that you can do is change the filter of the furnace. How often you need to change your filter will depend on the type of filter you buy. Some of the filters will require monthly changes while others can last for three months or more. In the end, checking the filter and making the judgment call of whether it is dirty enough to replace it now is a great first step.
Cleaning the Furnace for Optimal Performance
Another thing that you can do is clean around the furnace, which can include the outdoor and indoor units. Throughout the year of regular use, dust and other debris can gather around the furnace unit. If you don’t do a thorough cleaning, the debris (leaves and small twigs) may run the risk of catching fire.
Updating Your Furnace
While you are inspecting your furnace, you can check for any necessary updates, such as updating thermostats. Nowadays, most thermostats are digital which are far better than manual thermostats. The digital thermostats are able to give accurate readings in temperature settings and schedule different temperatures for when you are home or away. This can help you save energy and money. Another thing that you can do to conserve energy in your home is clearing any clogs and dust in your vents. By doing this, you will be able to maximize the performance of your furnace.
Calling a Professional Technician
The safest way to tell if your furnace is truly ready for the winter months is to have a technician inspect it for you. Denver homeowners take advantage of our home maintenance plan, the 1st Service Club, which provides regularly maintenance of your HVAC, plumbing, and electrical systems. Taking these few simple steps will help you be best prepared for our coldest Colorado winter days.
