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The evenings and early morning hours are rapidly getting cooler and cooler. Before we know it our winter season will be upon us. Take it from someone who can not appreciate the winter months you don’t want to switch on your heater and discover it’s not working properly.
With a little diligent effort on your part you can rest assured that your heater will keep you and your family warm at all times during this coming cooler season. My purpose in this article is to provide you with a few tips on preparing your heater for the upcoming winter months.
Furnace maintenance is not a difficult chore and takes very little of your valuable time to complete but it will ensure you of not only a reliable operating furnace but a safe one also. It is time well spent as the days and nights get colder. One of the most vital items which you can purchase in relation to your furnace is a carbon monoxide monitor. This inexpensive item will pay for itself in the peace of mind that you will have knowing that your family is safe. This useful tool should be installed near your furnace to monitor its output level.
The necessary tools for this task are few and common. They are:
• A New Air Filter
• Flashlight
• Light motor bearing oil
• Screwdriver
• Vacuum cleaner
As with all home repairs, the first step is to turn off the power and in this case, the fuel going to the unit. The last thing you need is to have it come on while you are working on it. You should be able to find a switch on or near your furnace. If you can not find it look at the electrical power panel and switch off the circuit breaker for the furnace. Keep in mind even if your furnace is operated by gas or fuel oil it still will have an electrically operated fan. So be sure to shut off the appropriate breakers. If your furnace is gas you should see a black pipe with a shut off valve attached. By turning the valve so it is perpendicular to your gas line it is in the off position. As an example, my furnace is kerosene driven and I have a master shut off switch near the bedroom door. This is setup as a safety precaution.
Now that the power and the fuel have been turned off to the furnace you should vacuum the interior out completely. Start by opening the furnace door. Use a long crevice tool attachment on the vacuum and begin by vacuuming the base of the furnace and around the gas burners if so equipped. Clean all the corners of any loose debris or dust.
The next job that should be performed is to change the furnace air filter. One of the most important tasks which you can perform on your furnace is regularly cleaning or changing the furnace filter. In fact, the filter should be checked and possibly changed on a monthly basis during the winter season when your heating equipment is in use. It should be replaced during this preseason cleaning process.
We now come to the task of checking the fan belt of your home’s furnace motor. This belt is driven by the motor and ultimately forces the air through the vents. Inspect it for any wear and for any slack in its operation. A loose belt can quickly disable an otherwise good furnace. Take note of any cracked, frayed or glazed belts as you inspect your unit and if discovered replace the belt immediately. When checking the tension on the belt if you find that it deflects more then 3/4ths of an inch then you may need to loosen the bracket and tighten the belt accordingly.
In the older furnace motors the bearings are not sealed permanently and you will find that one of your maintenance tasks is to oil the bearings. You should notice on either the bearing shaft or the motor itself some oiling caps. Place several drops of a good quality household oil below the caps. Be very careful not to over oil the bearings.
Lastly we will replace the furnace cover and turn everything back on. If your furnace is gas you will need to relight the pilot. You are now ready for a furnace that is maintenance free for the entire winter.
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"Scott was very thorough. We appreciated his willingness to come on a Sunday and an evening to get the job complete in the time frame we had. "