​​​​Keep your furnace running smoothly with our top furnace maintenance tips

​The best way to keep your furnace in working order is to have it regularly maintained. Let’s look at the different ways that keeping up with regular maintenance helps you and your furnace get through the winter, and what kind of maintenance items to put on your checklist.

How regular maintenance helps your furnace

There are numerous benefits to keeping your furnace regularly maintained. 

• Increased efficiency. Studies have shown that when furnaces are regularly maintained, they do a better job of heating your home while using less energy, which not only helps save natural resources but can also save you money on your heating costs.
• Increased lifespan. Regular furnace maintenance is the number one method to help ensure that the unit will not only run properly but will also last as long as possible.
• Dependability. Having your furnace maintained on a regular basis will leave you with the peace of mind that it will work when you need it most, keeping your living environment comfortable all winter.
• Warranty requirements. Some manufacturers require you to have your furnace regularly maintained​ in order for it to be covered under their warranty. Keeping records of proper maintenance with a certified technician like those at Home Service Plus® (HSP) will help ensure that your warranty stays valid.
• Increased safety and air quality. A number of things can happen to a furnace over the years. Small cracks can form. Obstructions can occur inside and outside the unit. Air vents become dirty with accumulated dust. Having a certified technician perform regular maintenance on your furnace is essential for catching and addressing these issues before they become problems which can risk the safety of the furnace, your home and your health.  ​
  

1. Get a professional tune-up​

While there are simple actions you can take on your own, such as changing the air filter, the best route to take for furnace maintenance is to have a professional technician perform a tune-up on your unit. 

HSP offers a furnace tune-up from a qualified and screened technician. Using our 16-step tune-up process, we check for gas leaks, faulty ventilation systems or heat exchangers, key components that may need replacement and more. We target each furnace component for optimal performance to help increase efficiency and longevity over time.

Safety Disclaimer. Heating and cooling systems can be dangerous without the right training and knowledge, so it is always best to call in a professional.

2. Check the thermostat​

It’s possible for your thermostat to lose its accuracy over time. There are many reasons this could be happening.

Room placement is key for a fully effective thermostat. Avoid placing in direct sunlight or near doors, windows, air vents or appliances that give off heat which can lead to false readings and cause your furnace to turn on unnecessarily or not turn on when it’s needed, potentially affecting your energy bills and comfort. Placing the thermostat on an unobstructed, interior wall is ideal.

The accumulated dust on and around your thermostat can also be a culprit. It could even be as simple as failing batteries.

To check if your thermostat readings are accurate, you will need a trusted thermometer and some tape. Attach the thermometer to the wall next to your thermostat with the tape and wait about 15 minutes, then check the readouts on both devices. 

As long as they are within 3 degrees of each other things are working as they should. However, if they are more than 3 degrees off, you should have your thermostat serviced. 

3. Change the air filter​

Changing your furnace’s air filter is one of the easiest and most effective types of maintenance you can perform. The air filter helps filter out the dust and debris that can circulate through your heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system, improving the air quality of your home.

First, find out the type of air filter your furnace uses, and make sure you have the right one before you get started. Next, you must cut the power to your furnace for safety. If you are unsure about cutting the power off, you should consult with a professional technician. The furnace must be cut off when you check or change the air filter.

After the power is off, you simply need to locate the filter rack on the ductwork (if you don’t know where this is, consult your furnace’s manual). Swap them out, turn the power back on and you’re all set.

4. Clean around the furnace​

Cleaning regularly around your furnace is another simple maintenance action. The dust and debris that builds up over time can enter the furnace and cause it to work harder and less efficiently. 

Vacuuming around the outside of the furnace will cut down on the amount of particles that get into your heating system, not only helping the furnace to run more optimally but also improving the quality of air in your home.​

It’s important to keep flammable objects and materials far away from your furnace. Household items such as cleaning solutions, cans of paint, and other chemicals should be stored in a separate part of the house.

5. Clean vents and ducts

A normal amount of dust around your air vents and in your duct work isn’t unusual, and if you are staying on top of changing your air filter, it will take a long time for serious buildup to occur. However, more than just dust can get into your ducts, even with clean air filters. 

Vermin. Your average household creepy crawlers can sometimes make a nice home for themselves in your duct system. Bugs like cockroaches and even small rodents have been known to infest these spaces. 

Mold. Much more serious than dust, mold can grow in dark damp places, and your duct system can be a prime target depending on where you live.

Excessive clogging. If you find that there is an inordinate amount of debris in your ducts, it is a good idea to have them cleaned out by a professional technician.

Service technicians have specialized tools and safety equipment to help them take care of the job easily and effectively.

To clean your vents, follow the same precautions you would with any other maintenance and turn your furnace off first. Next, remove all the vent covers and wipe them down with a clean, damp cloth. If you notice any hard-to-remove dirt or debris you can wash them in soapy water, using regular dish soap. You can then take a vacuum hose and clean out any dust, dirt or debris that you can see inside the vents. When the covers are dry, reattach them (and don’t forget to turn your furnace back on!).

6. Use your eyes, ears and nose​

Regularly inspecting your heating system for damage or irregularities is an important part of keeping your furnace working efficiently and safely. 

Things you can look for include corrosion on vents, leaking vents and drainage tubes, and faulty wires and connections. Corrosion will present itself as a powdery white substance around the vents. You can inspect the ductwork that carries the air from your furnace to vents throughout your house. These components can develop leaks over time, which cuts down on airflow throughout your house. Any of these problems can be addressed by a professional service technician.

You should also listen for sounds coming from your furnace and duct work. Different sounds can mean different issues. Problems with the furnace blower’s motor can sound like metal scraping on metal. A screeching sound is an indicator that there is something wrong with the motor’s bearings. Sometimes objects or big debris can get stuck in the fan blades of the motor, which sounds like a flapping, slapping sound. Sometimes your furnace will have small pops and bangs that are normal reactions of the metal ducts expanding and contracting, but a loud bang can be an indicator that your furnace is having combustion problems. If you hear any of these sounds, it is time to call in a professional technician.

When your furnace is first lit, it is common to smell a minor burning smell. This is due to the accumulated dust being burned off for the first time since last winter. The smell should go away after a few minutes, but if it doesn’t, turn the unit back off and call a professional technician. If you ever smell something akin to rotten eggs coming from your furnace, do not ignore it. This could be the sign of a gas leak , and you should exit your home immediately and contact your gas company and 911. For CenterPoint Energy customers, click the link to find gas leak contact information​. ​

7. Check the pilot light​

Most newer furnaces don’t have a traditional standing flame pilot light. The ignition system on units built in the last 20 or so years is electrical, and will light only as-needed. Older units may have a pilot light that needs to be checked.

To check the pilot light on most older furnaces, you have to remove a front panel, and you should be able to see the pilot light. It should look similar to the pilot lights on a gas stove. If there is no flame, the pilot is out and will need to be lit. If there is a flame that is any other color than blue, it may be a sign that the burner assembly is clogged and you should contact a professional service technician.

8. Check for short cycling 

Short cycling is the name for the phenomena that involves your furnace cycling on for a short period of a few minutes, or even seconds, and then shutting off, only to cycle back on again very shortly. This happens when your furnace is overheating.  Something is wrong with your furnace and you should call a professional technician promptly for assistance.
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