As heating season draws near, it’ll soon be time to get your annual furnace inspection. Preventative maintenance is key for keeping your furnace purring all winter and for ensuring that it runs efficiently without driving your energy bills to outrageous heights. Proper maintenance will extend the life of your furnace by replacing worn parts before they break down.
Before your HVAC technician arrives, make a furnace checklist. Note key components of your equipment on your furnace checklist and ask your technician to look at these parts during the maintenance visit.
Here are some points for discussion that you should have on your furnace checklist:
Furnace Checklist
- Thermostat. On your furnace checklist, note that it’s a good time to talk about upgrades for parts such as your thermostat. Then, ask the tech to have a look at the thermostat wiring to ensure it’s not worn or loose. Thermostat settings should also be checked to ensure they are correct.
- Blower motor. The blower motor is the component inside your furnace cabinet that helps distribute the conditioned air into the ductwork. The technician should ensure the blower motor is free of dirt and dust and that it is working at the right speed and isn’t making any suspicious noises. Fan blades should also be checked.
- Heat exchanger. This is the combustion chamber where the gases are heated up and the heat is transferred to the metal walls. The technician will do a carbon monoxide test to be sure no CO is escaping from cracks in the heat exchanger walls.
- Burners. The burners should be inspected for proper ignition. They should give off a blue rather than a yellow flame. When the inducer motor turns on, there should be a red glow and gas should ignite.
- Flue pipe. The flue pipe should be examined for damage.
- Gas line. This line should be checked for leaks.
Make a note on your furnace checklist to have the ductwork inspected to ensure that all segments are connected and that there are no holes.
