As of December 21, winter officially arrived in the Northern Hemisphere. For most of the United States, the arrival of winter heralds long nights and cold days. To keep cozy and warm, millions of Americans who live in northern regions turn to their furnace.
Clearly, any family needs a working furnace or alternative heating system to survive the winter. To prevent your furnace from quitting during the months when you need it most, proper maintenance is absolutely essential.
Though furnace maintenance is fairly easy and often takes less than a day, many homeowners skip proper care and end up without heat. Some HVAC experts even claim up to 75% of no-heat calls in the winter are related to a lack of maintenance.
Keep your furnace running this winter to avoid frozen pipes and frozen toes. Here are three maintenance checks every homeowner should make to prevent winter furnace failures:
1. Clean Your Filters
The filter of your furnace removes particulate matter from the air before the furnace heats it and pushes it back into your home. Too much dust and pet fur can clog this filter, forcing the blower to work even harder to circulate the warmed air. This strain may cause a furnace to fail, or it could raise your heating bills as the machine uses more energy to overcome the blockage. Consider hiring a heating repairs service to check up on your filter if you suspect it hasn’t been cleaned in several months. Also, take precautions to keep the registers and air vents throughout your home dust-free during the winter season.
2. Listen For Strange Noises
Unusual bumps, rumbles, and banging sounds could be indicators of a serious problem with your furnace. Even if your furnace is blowing warm air and keeping the house cozy, loud sounds when the furnace kicks on could mean a problem is fast approaching. Scraping noises could mean that a furnace blower fan has come loose, or a rattling noise could hint that a burner is failing. Don’t wait until your system no longer functions, and get your noisy furnace looked at by a professional.
3. Call Heating Services For A Checkup
Often, homeowners can perform small maintenance tasks on their own, like cleaning the flame sensor, ensuring the venting pipe is secure, and inspecting thermostat wires. However, if you’re just not comfortable making repairs, or if your furnace hasn’t been serviced by a professional in a while, consider calling heating services. Furnace maintenance experts can inspect your heating system for possible damage and catch minor problems before they become heating catastrophes.
Don’t wait until you’re without heat to clean and repair your furnace. Follow these three easy steps to keep your home cozy throughout the winter months. For more information or to schedule services in the Louisville area, contact Maeser Master Services today!
