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Get Your Furnace Ready For Winter With These Maintenance Tips

It might not be winter just yet, but now is still a good time to make sure your furnace is ready for action. A little pre-winter preparation can go a long way for ensuring your furnace is up to the task of keeping your home comfortable in chilly weather. Here are a few things you can do to make sure your furnace can tackle winter weather:

Change Your Furnace Air Filter

Before you start using your furnace for the season, it's a good idea to replace your old, dirty filter with a fresh filter. Beyond that, monthly air filter changes can help maintain and even improve your home's indoor air quality by keeping allergens and a host of other indoor pollutants at bay.

Check Your Ductwork

Another step you can take to ensure that your furnace is at 100-percent involves thoroughly checking your furnace ductwork and making repairs as necessary. A minor tear or gap in the ducts can allow as much as 30 percent of your furnace's conditioned air to escape into unconditioned spaces. Such a severe energy loss could result in higher annual energy costs as well as reduced overall comfort for your home.

Make Sure Your Furnace is Spotless

Before you turn your furnace on for the winter, you'll want to get rid of as much dust and debris from around the furnace as possible. You should also keep combustible items, including seasonal decorations, clothes, and toys as far away as possible.

Test Your Thermostat

You might think your HVAC system's thermostat is in relatively good shape, but it doesn't hurt to check it every once in a while. In fact, the best time to check your thermostat is shortly before you restart your furnace for the winter.

Not only should you make sure your thermostat is wired correctly, you should also be on the lookout for any wiring that appears frayed, burned or otherwise damaged. Your thermostat should also be able to call for heating without any lengthy delay.

Get a Professional Inspection

It never hurts to have a second opinion when it comes to the preparedness of your furnace. With that in mind, you should have your HVAC technician take an in-depth look at your furnace before it is put back into service.

Relying on a trained eye and countless years of experience, your HVAC technician can spot potential issues you may have missed during your own inspection. Your technician can even tell you whether or not your home needs a new furnace.

Contact local furnace services for more information and assistance. 


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