Testing Your Furnace Before the Winter Months Hit

Testing your home heating system is important to do before the winter approaches. If this is your first time owning a home, you want to make sure that your system is up to par. Avoiding this simple preventive tip can cost you a lot in repairs and leave you without heat when you need it the most.

Tips To Test Your Furnace Before Winter

Here are some tips you can follow for testing your furnace:

• Wipe away rubble near the furnace – Don’t just clean near your furnace, but also clean out the furnace. Be sure that there are no lingering messes near your furnace. Understandably so, things can collect around your furnace while it is being used. Anything that can pose a fire risk should be moved away.
• Inspect filters – Be sure to inspect the air filters in your furnace. It is normal to neglect your HVAC system once the summer begins. If you haven’t tended to your furnace after last winter, the filters can use a bit of tender love and care. This is especially true if your filters have not been switched out for a long period of time. Turn off the main power supply before inspecting your furnace’s filter. If you notice that it is filthy, you must change it. Choosing not to change a filthy air filter can reduce the quality of air coming into your home. Additionally, you will spend more money on energy costs just to keep your home warm.
• Check thermostat and furnace – Once the filter has been changed, you can plug the furnace back in and test it to make sure that it is operating as it should. If you notice within 15 minutes that your furnace isn’t working accurately after replacing the filter, you should reach out to an HVAC company to check it out. As long as your furnace is circulating warm air throughout your home, you should be just fine. After going a long time without turning on your heating system, you will smell an odor when you turn it on. This smell should go away after the first time it runs and is nothing to be worried about.
• Check hot water radiator system – Ensure that your hot water radiator system is working up to par. When checking the system, ensure that the valves are all on. You should only need to wait 10 minutes or so to see if the radiators have warmed up.
• Ensure the oil tank is full – If you use oil to heat your home, you must ensure that the oil tank has plenty of it before winter begins.
• Keep your family safe – The best way to ensure everyone in your household remains safe is by taking extra precautions. You can start by testing your carbon monoxide detector prior to powering on your furnace. Check the batteries and change them if necessary. Carbon monoxide detectors will protect you in the event the levels of gas are too extreme.

Categorised in: Furnace

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