The average person uses 48 cubic feet of natural gas per day. Much of that gas is circulated through heating apparatus’ like furnaces that are used to keep homes warm.
Since you’re reading this post, we’re guessing that you own a furnace that you feel isn’t working as well as it should or may just be due for a checkup. To that end, in this post, we go over top-line gas furnace maintenance checklist items that’ll help you get more out of your unit.
Know that by maintaining your furnace correctly, it’ll not only function better but also more safely which could save your life!
Replace Filters, If Applicable
Does your furnace blow air through a filter? If it does, that filter likely needs to be swapped out every 3 to 6 months.
Remove your furnace’s filter and inspect it. If it appears damaged or caked with dust, insert a clean one.
Uncleaned furnace filters can circulate allergens in your home’s air and at a certain point, may pose a fire hazard.
Wipe Down Your Burners
Your furnace’s burners are the bits of hardware that fire blows out of to create heat. These burners can gradually build up gunk around them which may ignite.
To prevent build-up, ensure your furnace is off and gas is shut off to it. Once you’ve confirmed it’s safe to do so, use a non-flammable cleaner to wipe down each burner.
Clean Ducts, If Applicable
Some furnaces are part of larger, whole-home heating systems. These systems use ducts to transfer warm air to different areas of a house.
If your furnace is attached to ducts and you haven’t had your ducts cleaned in over a year, hire a cleaning service. Like dirty filters, dirty ducts can hurt your home’s air quality and could pose additional ignition risks.
Inspect Electrical Controls
Remove the casing from your furnace’s control panel, if applicable. Inspect any wires that are exposed to ensure they’re securely fastened and don’t appear frayed.
Frayed or damaged wiring should be repaired by an electrician via an emergency repairs order as inexperienced work on these types of issues pose the threat of electrocution and could be dangerous if left ignored.
Contact a Professional
For those of you that are already scratching your head when it comes to the gas furnace maintenance checklist items we’ve gone over, you may want to save yourself some trouble and call in a pro. A professional furnace maintenance person can safely get your unit in working shape and tackle maintenance items that go beyond the scope of our list.
They may also be able to opine on alternate heating sources if you have any questions to ask about fuel oil or solar heating.
Our Gas Furnace Maintenance Checklist Is Topical
We want to be forthcoming in stating that gas furnaces can be dangerous and therefore, we’ve only recommended surface-level (yet impactful) gas furnace maintenance checklist items. To do a deep dive into your furnace’s maintenance, as we suggested, call a pro.
Professionals are affordable and will ensure your job gets done right!
For more insight on taking care of home heating equipment and other lifestyle questions, explore additional content we have posted on our blog.
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