When the temperatures start to drop outside, you’re going to soon need your furnace to maintain comfort in your Calgary home. If you haven’t checked the heating system as yet, follow these tips so you have peace of mind that it’s working at maximum efficiency and there are no reliability or safety concerns.
Put in a Fresh Furnace Filter
When the filter is clean, there’s less worry that airflow restrictions can erode your heating efficiency. To maintain good airflow all winter, examine the furnace filter monthly and change it when you see debris accumulating, or at least every three months.
Schedule Professional Preventive Maintenance
Before you fire up the heating system, have an experienced pro inspect, clean and tune it up. During a maintenance appointment, a technician completes many critically-important tasks like inspecting the condition of the heat exchanger, cleaning/lubricating the blower unit, cleaning the fuel burner, tightening all the electrical connections, checking the safety controls, and testing the thermostat for proper function and accuracy.
Make Thermostat Programming Adjustments
If any seasonal adjustments are needed in your thermostat programming, now’s the time to make the changes. If you haven’t upgraded to a programmable thermostat, have your technician install one so you can program in energy-saving temperature setbacks based on your daily routine.
Maintain the Air Registers
Remove all of the register covers and wipe them clean, then use the vacuum to suction out any dirt and debris as far as possible into the ducting. When you’re replacing the covers, make sure the louvres are fully open and check that nothing is obstructing airflow at the registers.
Clean the Exhaust Flue
Have an experienced sweep clean the flue to get rid of any accumulated soot and check for anything that might cause a blockage, like bird nesting materials, broken branches, or dead leaves. When it’s clean and free of obstructions, there’s less risk that furnace exhaust fumes containing deadly carbon monoxide gas can’t escape.
For more advice or to schedule a preventive maintenance visit to get the furnace in your Calgary home ready for the winter season, contact us Arpi’s Industries.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Calgary, Alberta about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about furnaces and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Guide.
Credit/Copyright Attribution: “Name of Artist/Shutterstock”
