Four Steps to Take Before Turning On Your Furnace

Making the transition into the winter months means that it is time to make sure that your heating system is all in check. When temperatures begin to fall, the last thing you want is to try and turn on your furnace to find that it’s not working. Before winter weather hits, there are a few steps to follow. Adequately preparing your furnace can help you avoid any hiccups of unnecessary repair costs in the future. Here are four steps to take before turning on your furnace.

In most HVAC systems, cleaning the filter and other components is necessary for both the shutdown of your air conditioning unit and the startup of your furnace. Having a dirty furnace or filters can delay starting up your heating system, leaving you cold. To help your heating system run more efficiently, clean up the debris that builds up in the filters of your furnace. Because it debris also builds up around the coils and other furnace components you want to clean them as well.  As a result, your furnace will run more smoothly.

How often you need to change your air filters depends on some factors, such as pets and allergies. If pets or allergies are present in the home, then your air filters need to be changed every one to two months. If there are no pets or allergies present, then it’s okay to wait a minimum of three months before changing filters.

It’s hard to heat up a home when cold air is consistently sneaking in. Before turning on your furnace, make sure all windows and doors are properly sealed. This simple step helps to seal your homes air system, keeping the cold air out and the warm air in. It also helps prevent unnecessarily high utility bills that come when your furnace works in overdrive.

While there are some ways that you can help prepare your heating system, other things require the professionals. Professionals can do all of these things for you and provide additional services like pressure check your system and monitor your carbon monoxide detector. Performing an A/C pressure check helps identify leaks you need to address in order for your system to run properly. The carbon monoxide detector is essential to making sure that you and others in your household are safe. You should definitely call a professional if anyone begins experiencing headaches after turning on your heat. This could indicate a carbon monoxide leak, which can be life-threatening if left unattended.

It’s important to have both your heating and cooling systems regularly checked. Proper maintenance can help ensure that your system starts up properly and keeps you warm all winter long. Make sure to have a professional perform a service check on your HVAC system twice a year, or between seasons, to ensure your system is running at optimal performance levels. Before starting up your furnace this winter, let the professionals check it out. At Great Dane HVAC, we are experienced in all things heating and air. To get your furnace ready, contact Great Dane HVAC.