As the temperatures rise during the summer months, your focus naturally shifts to enjoying the sun and cranking up your air conditioner. Believe it or not, this is also the perfect time to do some furnace maintenance.
Here are some helpful tips for maintaining your furnace during the off-season to ensure it’s ready to protect your home from the cold temperatures later in the year.
- Clean Your System – The inside and outside components of your heating unit probably have dust and debris on them. If left unchecked, they can reduce efficiency and damage your system in the long run. The cleaning process needs to be done correctly and safely, so it’s best left to an HVAC contractor.
- Check Electrical Connections – Carry out a visual inspection of the electrical parts of your heating system. If you see anything that may need repair such as loose or disconnected wires, be sure to contact a professional.
- Replace Your Air Filter – You should regularly change your furnace filter, especially during the transition from winter to summer. If it becomes extremely dirty, it will prevent your system from operating at optimum efficiency and could cause long-term damage.
- Turn Off Your Pilot Light – If you have an older furnace that has a pilot light, switch it off. Although the pilot light doesn’t use much energy when running, there’s no point in letting it run yet that won’t benefit you in anyway. Plus, you’ll save a little money.
- Install a Carbon Monoxide (CO) Detector – It’s a good idea to install a CO detector in the off-season in preparation for the winter months when you’ll need it to monitor your air while your furnace is running.
- Call In a Professional – If your heating system isn’t in good condition and you can’t perform maintenance by yourself, call a certified HVAC professional.
With these maintenance tips, you’ll keep your furnace in excellent condition and protect your home from the cold next winter. For more information on furnace maintenance, contact us at Ace Hardware Home Services. We proudly serve the Dayton area.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Dayton, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
Credit/Copyright Attribution: “REDQUASAR/Pixabay”
