How can I prepare my furnace for winter?
We encourage homeowners to take five steps to prepare their furnaces for winter use.
1. Replace Your Air Filter
Your furnace must work harder when air can’t flow freely through the system due to a dirty or clogged air filter. Not only does this lead to higher energy bills, but it can also cause the system to overheat and specific components to wear out faster. Clogged or dirty air filters can also cause your furnace to emit an unpleasant odor that some describe as a persistent burning smell.
Replace your air filters often. When your system runs daily during our Colorado summers and winters, change your filters once a month. At other times of the year, when you may not need your HVAC to run every day, you may be able to wait as long as 2-3 months before changing filters.
2. Turn on Your Thermostat
Change your thermostat from the Cool or Off setting to the Heat setting and set the temp a few degrees above the current room temperature. You should hear your system kick on within about a minute. When it does, you may temporarily encounter an odor as the furnace burns away the dirt and dust built up inside while not in use.
If your furnace doesn’t come on within a minute, or you hear loud noises from the furnace unit, or the burning smell persists longer than a day, turn off the system and call Colorado Discount Heating & Cooling to schedule furnace maintenance.
3. Check Your Ventilation
If you have a high-efficiency furnace, ensure that the intake and exhaust pipes outside your home are clear of any blockage, such as ice, snow, bird nests, leaves, or other debris. This is very important, as blocked vents and poor ventilation can cause a dangerous buildup of carbon monoxide.
Blocked vents and poor ventilation can also lead to a loss of system efficiency, overheating the heat exchanger or blower motor, or even a total system breakdown.
4. Avoid Fire Hazards and Check Monitors
Remove any clutter or “dust bunnies” around your heating system unit. Test all of your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and replace batteries as needed.
5. Schedule a Tune-Up
Furnaces naturally wear over time and lose their efficiency. Regular furnace maintenance is necessary to keep them running in peak condition and fix any potential safety hazards before they can cause health concerns for your family.
Tune-ups make sure that minor issues are corrected before they can turn into extensive, expensive repairs, and ensure that the requirements of your equipment warranties are being met.
During your furnace maintenance visit, our technician will:
- Perform a safety inspection
- Clean off dust and dirt
- Lubricate parts
- Change air filters
- Inspect vents
- Prime your system for optimum performance
When scheduling your next tune-up, ask about our comprehensive Preventative Maintenance Agreement, which provides two system tune-ups yearly and other benefits at a cost-saving rate.
Call Colorado Discount Heating & Cooling Today
If you live in Englewood, CO, or the Denver Metro Area, call Colorado Discount Heating & Cooling to arrange your next furnace maintenance and tune-up. Our certified technicians, flat-rate pricing, honest advice, and superior customer service can’t be beaten.
Contact us today to consult with our team and get customized HVAC solutions from our trained and experienced professionals.
