How to Clean Your Furnace for Winter: Fall Furnace Maintenance
September 24, 2019
What better way to protect your home than by maintaining and cleaning your furnace for winter before snowy weather hits? Our HVAC professionals will teach you how to service a furnace with these quick fall furnace maintenance tips. We’ll advise you on how to clean your furnace for winter to make sure the colder months of the year go as smoothly as possible.
Is Furnace Maintenance Necessary?
Imagine waking up shivering during a cold winter night realizing your furnace has gone out and left you and your house freezing. Even by the time a 24/hour HVAC technician like a trusted Lozier employee got there, you’d be very uncomfortable without additional heat. Lozier wants to help homeowners avoid the stress and cold weather by providing fall furnace maintenance and tune-ups. Not only does this help your furnace last longer, but it could help you avoid an annoying and costly repair during the winter season.
However, there are furnace maintenance steps homeowners can take before getting the professionals involved. Before you schedule an appointment, we encourage homeowners to learn what happens during a professional furnace tune-up and perform a few fall furnace maintenance and cleaning tasks on their own. That’s why we’ve put together a list of simple tasks any homeowner can perform to check the condition of their heating system.
How to Service a Furnace: Tips For Fall Furnace Maintenance
Schedule a Service Visit From an HVAC Technician
Every furnace should have maintenance performed by a qualified technician once per year. Fall is the perfect time to get a furnace tune-up done because you won't have to worry about the technicians being backed up on service calls for the same thing. Finding the right technician can be a big task, but by checking reviews or getting recommendations from friends is a great way to start narrowing down your options. You could also ask the technician you’re looking to work with a few questions about the service, and what to expect from a service visit with you.
Replace Your Filters
One easy way to clean your furnace for winter is to make sure the furnace filter is clean. It's a pretty safe bet that you haven't checked your furnace's air filter since the last time you warmed up your home. During your fall furnace maintenance, make sure you get your filter checked and replaced so you're ready when winter arrives.
Install a Carbon Monoxide Detector
Gas leaks can be a silent killer, and it's imperative that you protect your home and its occupants at all times. If you don't already have a carbon monoxide detector, we recommend getting one right away. And if your home is already equipped with a detector, what better time to test it and make sure it's working properly before you need to use your furnace?
Switch Off the Pilot Light
Older furnaces have a pilot light. You won't save a lot of energy or money by switching it off, but there's really no reason for it to be on when you won't be needing it. Then, once winter arrives, simply turn it back on.
Remove Any Debris
It's easy for debris and dust to collect on your furnace while it's out of operation, which may cause your furnace to smell funny or lead to bigger issues like a malfunctioning part once you start using it again. You need to stay away from the wiring, but it's a good idea to perform a visual inspection and remove anything that looks out of place.
Schedule Fall Furnace Maintenance with Lozier Heating and Cooling
Performing regular furnace maintenance is necessary to keep your furnace in top shape and prolong the life of your heating and cooling system. If you'd like more expert advice on how to protect your home by cleaning your furnace for winter before the cold weather hits or you’d like to schedule a furnace maintenance check, reach out to the professionals at Lozier Heating & Cooling. We've been serving the needs of Des Moines and the surrounding area for over 113 years.