At this time of year, with the frigid winds howling about the eaves of the house and the snow piling up on the mountains, no feature of your home may seem more important than your furnace, keeping everyone and everything warm indoors. Keeping that furnace running at peak efficiency is very important to your family’s welfare, and, while the most important thing you can do is to maintain a regular schedule of checkup and maintenance with a professional furnace firm, here are some things you can do on your own to ensure that your furnace operates the way it was intended to do.
No Accumulations of Dirt
First and most important, keep it clean. As with most kinds of equipment, accumulations of dirt tend to interfere with its operations and reduce its efficiency; clogged vents and surfaces covered with filth will block air and fuel circulation and result in a waste of fuel. Second, regular lubrication and adjustments to the belt will help keep the furnace running smoothly and efficiently.
Homeowners must take special care with furnaces that run on gas, because any buildup of gas in the home is poisonous. If you smell any gas in your home, turn off the gas immediately, ventilate all areas promptly, and do not turn on any lights. Then phone the gas company immediately and describe the problem.
Okay to Reset Circuit Breakers—Once
If your furnace stops working or will not turn on, a first step homeowners can take is to check the circuit breaker(s) to see if any of them has tripped. If the circuit breaker has tripped at the main panel, it is usually considered okay to reset it once—but once only. If the breaker trips a second time, don’t take any further chances; don’t reset it, because doing so could cause a short or a fire. Instead, phone your furnace professional for help with your problem.
Over the long haul, annual furnace inspections will certainly pay off in avoidance of problems and efficiency of operation of your furnace, and you can expect many years of operation at a minimum maintenance cost. For superior furnace maintenance, contact Albuquerque Plumbing Heating & Cooling and schedule an inspection for the end of the heating season, if not sooner.