What You Can Do To Avoid Furnace Problems This Winter

 We are starting to see some chilly days in Montgomery County, which means it’s time to make sure your furnace is ready for the winter. We love this time of year, with the leaves changing colors and the holidays approaching. We also love helping our customers get their homes ready for the cold weather. This could mean a simple routine maintenance for their current HVAC system, or installing a brand new furnace that will keep them warm and comfortable all winter long. 

Over the years of working with HVAC systems in our community, I’ve seen a lot of broken down furnaces and heat pumps. There are a number of different problems that can arise, and it will lead homeowners to making a decision of whether they should repair or replace their heating system. 

In this article, I’ll give you a few tips to keep your heating system in good condition, and avoid common problems that we see in the winter. If you want to have your heating system looked at by a professional, give us a call at (610) 446-7877, or contact us online today.

What You Can Do For Your Furnace: DIY Tips

When it comes to maintaining your furnace, there are some things you can do on your own, and other tasks that should be performed by a professional HVAC technician. Here are a few of the ‘do it yourself’ tips that you should perform for your heating system: 

Change Your Air Filter

The air filter protects your heating system from dirt and debris that otherwise would move through your heating system and into your home. It catches these airborne particles in the filter, and keeps the air in your home clean. Over time the filter can fill up, and prevent airflow. 

We recommend changing your air filter once every one to three months. This way your air stays fresh and clean, and your heating system doesn’t have dirt and debris getting stuck in it. 

Now, during a routine service your air filter will be changed, but you should still keep a few on hand to change on your own. If you are wondering how to change your filter, be sure to ask your HVAC technician to show you during a regular service. Matthias from John Cipollone Inc. also has a video here that can show you exactly how to change your filter! 

Clean Around Your Furnace

Most furnaces burn oil or gas to function. This is what creates the heat that is then distributed around your home. Now almost every furnace is located in a basement, likely around boxes, and general stuff that you tend to keep in a basement. 

We recommend clearing a space around your furnace. This will prevent any sort of fire hazard, and make space for an HVAC technician to take a look at your system if needed. 

Clear Around Your Vents

If you have ductwork in your home, then it pushes the air through these ducts to vents around the home. If you have vents that are blocked by furniture or curtains, it’s going to disrupt the airflow, and prevent certain spaces from getting comfortable. 

Blocked vents lead to you overworking your heating system. This can damage your system, and also run the energy bills up! If your system is working harder than it needs to, it’s simply going to add stress, and could lead to problems with your heating. 

What A Professional Can Do To Help Your Heating System

Along with some of these DIY tasks, you should also have a professional help get your system ready for winter as well. An HVAC technician does this all year long, and knows the ins and outs of your heating system. Here are a few things you can have a professional take care of to help your heating system get through the winter: 

Schedule Routine Heating Service

Scheduling professional heating service once a year is the best way to avoid problems with your heating system. A professional HVAC technician will come take a look at your heating system, and perform a few tasks that will help it work properly, remain energy efficient, and improve the comfort in your home. They will look inside your heating system, and clean the components as well. This will get rid of any soot or residue that may be hiding in your heating system. 

They will also ensure that the system is running safely. Heating systems that burn oil or gas to function need to vent these gasses that are a result of this combustion. Carbon monoxide is one of these gasses, and it’s colorless and odorless. If for some reason this would leak into your home, it could be VERY dangerous. 

During a routine service, the HVAC technician will: 

• Change your air filter
• Clean the combustion chamber
• Clean the blower
• Clean the furnace flame sensor
• Clean off the pilot light
• Test your thermostat

We can’t recommend yearly HVAC service enough for your heating system. You should also consider a service plan, which will help you save money, and make sure your heating system is taken care of. 

At the end of the day, heating service is going to provide far more benefits than anything you can do for yourself: 

• Improved energy efficiency
• Improved heating 
• Lower energy bills
• Fewer breakdowns and problems
• Fewer repairs needed
• Better indoor air quality
• Safe operation 
• Validates warranty 

Inspect Your Ductwork And Insulation

Your ductwork is what carries the air from your heating system, to the points throughout your home. If the ductwork is leaky, or improperly designed, it could lead to issues with your furnace. Air could be backing up and preventing the furnace from working right, or air could be seeping out of your ducts, leading to the system working harder than it should. 

Additionally, if your home isn’t properly insulated, air could be leaking right out of your home. This is going to drive your energy bills through the roof, and also make your heating system work a lot harder than it should. 

Unfortunately, it may not be the same company who can take care of both of these. Most HVAC contractors, like us here at John Cipollone Inc., can help you out with your ductwork. We’ve designed thousands of HVAC systems, and making sure the ductwork is working properly is an important part of that design. But when it comes to insulation, you may want to talk to a general contractor who specializes in that kind of work. 

If your home is properly insulated and the ductwork is looking tight and efficient, it’s going to lead your heating system to less stress, and improved performance. 

Call A Professional If You Notice A Problem

The last piece of advice we will give you is to call a professional if you notice a problem. Putting off issues is only going to lead to bigger problems down the road. Instead, even if you notice something small, give an HVAC technician a ring. We’ll be able to assess the problem, and let you know whether it needs a repair, some simple service, or a replacement. 

Some common signs that your heating system is having an issue are: 

• Uneven heating
• Loud noises (bangs and clanks) coming from your heating system
• Unusually high energy bills
• Carbon monoxide detector is going off (If this is happening turn off your heating system and call us immediately. You may even want to leave the home and air your house out.)
• Strange smells from your heating system (Sometimes it smells like soot the first time you turn it on. If it still smells after than call a pro.) 

There are other signs that there could be an issue, but these are some of the ones we hear about a lot. If you need some help with your heating system give us a call at (610) 446-7877, or contact John Cipollone Inc. online today!