Maintenance Tips to Avoid Costly Furnace Repair

1. Maintenance Tips to Avoid Costly Furnace Repair In order to make your furnace work perfectly, it is important to ensure that you maintain it properly. You should never let minor issues go unattended because things can get worse and the problem may go out of control. To avoid expensive furnace repair issues, you should check your furnace at regular intervals and ensure everything is working fine. Before you do the inspection, it is important to turn the power off and then proceed by removing the combustion chamber door. Here are a few important things to check: Check the burner flames carefully. The color of the flames can tell a lot about your furnace. Simply turn up your thermostat to turn your furnace on. Ideally, the burner flames need to be even and blue. Sometimes, you will notice that the burner flames are yellow. You notice yellow flames when burners are very dirty. While checking the flames, ensure that you do not breathe on them because the oxygen can make them look yellow. If you notice that burners are extremely dirty, you can clean them yourself, but do not try to do it if you have little knowledge about it. Letting a pro adjust the burners is always a better choice. Try to vacuum the burners to help them work perfectly. Be sure to turn off the power – do not forget to cut the gas supply before you try to vacuum the burners. Be sure to vacuum at the back of the burners. You can make it easier by using a 20-inch long drain line – simply attach it to the vacuum hose to reach those areas. You have to vacuum those burners thoroughly and ensure that you clean the furnace base as well. While cleaning the burners, you should also look for the presence of any soot. It usually indicates poor combustion. Clean the blower carefully. You will have to remove it first for which you need to remove the bolts. In most cases, you will have to use a ratchet to help remove the bolts. Again, if you do not have the tools required for cleaning and maintenance, it is better to hire a furnace repair specialist. Replace the furnace filter. It is important to change the filter periodically or else the furnace will not function as efficiently as it should be. Ideally, you should change it every 1-3 months. A high-quality filter will also help protect the blower motor and the blower itself. You can also find more expensive filters these days, but be sure to refer to the owner's manual before you select anything because some high-efficient filters are known for restricting the airflow that puts unnecessary strain on the blower motor. It is true that you will have to go through some hassle to properly maintain your furnace, but doing it regularly will keep you from spending a lot of money on furnace repair. Just remember, if you are not sure about some repair work, be sure to let a technician do it for you. Source: http://affordablehomeimprovement.org/maintenance-tips-to-avoid-costly-furnace-repair/