It’s that time of year again.
Leaves are changing colors. Temperatures are beginning to drop. The holidays are fast approaching. It’s that time of year when most Americans look to fire up that natural gas furnace.
But before you grab your quilt and hot cocoa, take some time to make sure your furnace is ready for winter. After several months of being shut down in the summer and spring, furnaces need some professional attention before you commence using them again. Maintenance helps your furnace stay in a healthy condition. And beyond all, it helps guarantee your furnace won’t catch ablaze. Every furnace needs proper maintenance before temperatures drop. Because gas furnaces are the number two cause of house fires in the country, we at Grove City Heating Heating & Air compiled the following list of gas furnace safety tips.
1. CHANGE AIR FILTERS
It’s dangerous and costly to overlook the need to change your furnace filters. Not only does it decrease the quality of air in your residence, but also it makes your furnace work harder, which increases energy costs. To avoid unnecessary pressure on your system that could cause additional problems down the road, be sure to replace your furnace’s filter at least every 1 to 3 months. You might want to increase the rotation during the winter months to circumvent the risk of a breakdown, which no one wants to deal with during the winter.
2. GIVE IT SPACE
As a blanket rule, the least amount of space around a furnace should be approximately two feet. Anything remotely flammable like lint, dust, papers, paint, rags, clothing, boxes, and more, should be kept farther away. Use a vacuum cleaner to remove lint and dust from your furnace area. This should be done at least once per month to avoid any buildup. Seal any liquids in the room airtight. Try to avoid having any flammable chemicals in that same room. And, as a rule, your furnace room should be a child-free zone. Furnace fire safety begins with a perceptive eye, so always look for the hidden dangers that could be sitting right beside your furnace.
3. GET DETECTORS & EXTINGUISHERS
Heat is a beautiful thing during winter — that is unless it is the result of a furnace fire. To shield your family from the perils of a house fire, guarantee that smoke detectors and fire extinguishers are in working order. Put them in the same room as your furnace. Also, be sure to replace your detector’s batteries on a seasonal basis. The same goes for carbon monoxide detectors. A malfunctioning furnace can discharge dangerous carbon monoxide, so it’s essential to have a fully-charged detector for that closeby as well. Carbon monoxide is an odor-free gas, so never rely on your sense of smell to detect problems near the furnace. Natural gas, on the other hand, has a rotten egg smell added to it for detection purposes. Be sure to know the signs of a leak and poisoning have emergency evacuation plans and know where your master gas shut-off valve is. If you smell gas, do not turn on any lights or do anything that could spark it.
4. ENSURE AIRFLOW
When snow accumulates, it can prompt your gas furnace to shut down. That’s because the snow can block two of the most critical parts of your home comfort system — the exterior air intake and exhaust from your gas furnace. The best way to keep air moving smoothly throughout your home is to perform a visual examination of these areas after a notable snowfall to look for any obstructions. Clearing out these areas when your furnace stalls will result in less stress on the system and extend its service life. Also, make sure at least 80 percent of registers in your home are open so air can flow freely inside.
5. GET REGULAR MAINTENANCE
When it comes to furnaces, it’ll always save you money to be more proactive than reactive. Don’t skimp on the maintenance. Have a professional inspect your furnace annually for all these reasons and more. Because when something goes awry and a furnace breaks down, a repair or replacement is no longer an option. It’s an expensive necessity. And no one wants to deal with that in the cold of winter. Proper maintenance makes sure your furnace will adequately function when temperatures plummet.
Gas furnaces are machines and machines can break down and cause real harm without the right precautions.
For an appointment with one of our friendly service technicians, call Grove City Heating & Air today at 614-490-7540 or schedule an appointment online now at www.grovecityheatingandair.com/schedule-now/.
