Furnace maintenance – what you can do, Part One

Furnace maintenance – what you can do, Part One

Last week, we talked about the importance of furnace maintenance (hint: it saves you money). We – we’re pretty sure – made such a compelling case for furnace maintenance that you now can’t stop thinking about what else you could do to make your cozy friend happy, so it works more efficiently. Predicting this “Furnace Mania”, we want to share with you four quick and easy things you can do right now to help your furnace work better (we’ll save five more tips for next week, so you don’t get overexcited!)

Clean (and replace) your filter

Your filter bravely stands between your furnace and the dust and debris that threatens it. When it gets clogged, your furnace has to work harder to get air. As we’ve already mentioned, a furnace that works extra hard is not a reason to celebrate, so don’t bother with your Appliance of the Week plaque. A harder working furnace simply means a less efficient, more expensive unit with a shorter lifespan.

Program your phone (right now – we’ll wait) to remind you every month to check your filter. If you have pets or someone with allergies or other respiratory issues in the house, you’ll want to clean and/or change it more often. You’ll also probably need to clean it more in the winter than in the summer. Look to change your filter every 90 days.

Use a programmable thermostat

Having (and using) a programmable thermostat is an affordable way to reduce your energy costs (by anywhere from 10-30%) and reduce the need for repairs on your furnace. Plus, it’s just logical – why are you heating your house to the same comfortable temperature when you aren’t even home (which we realize might not be often during COVID, but still), or while you’re cozy under your blankets at night?

Even if you aren’t handy, you can probably install the thermostat yourself (with a little help from Bob Villa or a myriad of helpful product-specific YouTube videos). Or we can install it for you when we come to inspect your furnace!

Check your vents and registers

For most people, we rarely consider our registers. If they block the flow of your living room design, too bad for them – they’re about to be covered by a couch. Or maybe you don’t like the way that one ceiling register blows air on you while you sit in your favourite chair, so you close the vents.

By blocking your vents, you are not only preventing proper air and heat circulation – and wasting money – you are potentially causing damage to your unit by creating a build up of air pressure. This damage can lead to needing repairs, or even dangerous carbon monoxide emissions.

Keep your registers free of both debris and impediments. Even if it looks nicer to have them covered.

Keep the area around your furnace clear

If you lack storage space, it can be tempted to stack boxes or other items around your furnace. But it might be time to either get rid of some stored items, or find a better place to store them, because you should be keeping at least the three feet of surrounding space around your furnace clear. This is both for your safety – think of the fire risk! - and to help your furnace work more efficiently by increasing air flow. Not to mention, it gives us space to work when we come to take care of your unit.

We know you are chomping at the bit to get to work on these four items, and we won’t keep you. Remember to check back next week for 5 more tips you can use to keep your furnace happy and efficient.