Maintaining a furnace is very important if you want it to work as it should. It does not take long to do a few things each year to make sure that it works when you need it. You can do most of it on your own, but you could also call a professional to do it for you.
You can call many companies to do this maintenance for you. You could also call about a Trane gas furnace in Cincinnati, OH for a company that can help you. This maintenance usually does not cost too much.
This article will help you to learn a little about furnace maintenance. It will tell you some of the things that should be done at least once a year. You can also get more information if you do a little research.
Furnace Maintenance
Outdoor Units
- Inspect Your Unit – You should inspect your unit for refrigerant at proper levels. If it is low, you need to adjust those levels, as necessary. The refrigerant can mean the difference between your unit working and not. This should be inspected at least once per season.
- Clean Unit – Clean around the unit, removing leaves, grass, and other debris. You do not want to have any of this in the cabinet. This could damage parts that are inside, and you do not want that to happen. You should make sure that you inspect for debris at least once a month.
- Inspect Base Pan – Inspect the base pan for restricted drain openings. Debris in the base pan can lead to the drain openings becoming restricted: https://hvactrainingshop.com/unclog-furnace-condensate-drain/. Clean all dust and debris from the pan and the drain openings. This should be done at least once a month.
- Coil and Cabinet – Inspect the coils and cabinet for dirt and debris. If you see any dirt and debris, you can use a soft brush to remove it. You do not want to use a hard brush because you can ruin the coils. This should be inspected at least once a month, as well.
- Inspect Fan Motor and Blades – Inspect fan motor and blades for wear and damage. If you have an older unit, you may need to lubricate it. If there is any wear and damage to the motor or blades, you will need to have them replaced. This should be inspected at least once a season or if you begin hearing noises from the furnace.
- Inspect Control Box –You need to look at the control box and all associated controls, accessories, wiring, and connections. These controls may have contactors, circuit boards, relays, sump heaps, and capacitors. There may be other components that you could look at, as well. You should look at this at least once a year.
- Check Compressor – You also need to look at the compressor unit and any associated tubing to see if there is any damage to it. You might need a professional to check this for you and to repair any damage. This will ensure that it is done the right way so that you do not need to worry about it. This should be done at least once a year.
Inside Unit
- Check and Clean Blower Assembly – You need to check out and clean the blower assembly. This includes all the components including blower housing, blower wheel, and the motor. You can clean with a damp cloth or soft brush being careful not to damage any of the parts. You should do this at least once a year, more often if there is a lot of dust in your area.
- Lubricate – You need to lubricate the motor and check out the fan belt if you have an older furnace. See here to learn more about this. This will help it to work more efficiently and will prevent loud noises from the motor. You can easily do this yourself, but you could always call a professional to do it for you. This should be done at least once a year.
- Check Combustion Blower – Check this for any lint or debris and clean it as needed. Again, you can clean this with a soft brush, being very careful not to damage any of the parts. You could also use a vacuum to clean any debris that lands at the bottom of the case. This should be done as needed, checking it out at least once a month.
- Check for Gas Leaks – Check carefully for gas leaks – if you smell gas, turn your gas off at the source and call your fuel company to have them check it out. You could also call the fire department to see if they can come and check it out for you. Make sure that you keep you and your family out of the home while you smell the gas. This should be done any time you have a suspicion of a gas leak.
Conclusion
There are other things that you can check out, as well. You need to call a professional if there are any problems that you cannot take care of on your own. The cost of a service call is nothing compared to your peace of mind.
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