Heading into the coldest months of the year, you need your furnace to work correctly to keep your home warm. As with any large machinery, your HVAC unit needs a little care and support to function as it should. Routine maintenance and tune-ups are vital to the longevity of your furnace and air conditioning units, and doing so before the brutal cold hits could be the difference between comfort and unbearable temperatures in your house.
Furnace Maintenance and Tune-up
In order to handle the heavy workload of heating your home during the cold months in the Springfield area, your furnace needs to be in top shape. Call Queen City Heating & Cooling and schedule an annual inspection and tune-up to be sure your unit is reliable and safe going into the coldest time of the year. Read on to learn about the different parts of this routine maintenance by a professional HVAC technician.
Check Air Filter
The air filter on your furnace helps filter out dust, debris, and allergens, making the air in your home safer to breathe. If the filter is clogged, your furnace has to work harder to push the air through. Your technician will check your filter and clean it or replace it to keep the air in your home clean and safe.
Inspect Furnace Belt
The belt in your furnace is an integral part of its operation. Your technician will inspect the belt, looking for cracks or other damage that may lead to failure. Additionally, a loose belt may fall off, causing your furnace to stop working altogether. The technician will replace the belt if excess wear and tear is evident.
Inspect the Blower
The blower in your furnace is what powers air through the vents of your home. When the blower quits, the heated air stays in the heating unit and doesn’t move out into the ducts as it should, leaving your home cold. When signs of failure exist, your technician will replace your blower to avoid an emergency situation down the road.
Check Your Fuel Supply
Some homes have a tank outside that needs to be filled with natural gas to supply the furnace. Without this gas, your furnace has no fuel to turn into heat. If you have one of these tanks, you should check the fuel level before using your furnace. If the fuel level is low, call your gas provider to get the tank filled before the cold temperatures kick in. You may need to check and fill the tank multiple times throughout the winter to avoid running out.
Inspect and Clean Ducts
As part of the routine maintenance, your professional HVAC technician will inspect air ducts for buildup and blockages. Blocked ducts and vents can cause your furnace to work harder to force heat out of the heater and into your home. They may also lead to inefficient and inconsistent cooling in different areas of the home. If needed, the technician will clean the ducts and clear any debris and excess dust out of the air ducts for cleaner air and more efficient heating.
Calibrate and Program Your Thermostat
Your thermostat is a centrally located device that controls the temperature of your home. Your technician will make sure the thermostat correctly detects the temperature and sends signals to your furnace properly. During this time, it is also a good idea to program your thermostat. The technician can give you pointers on how to program your thermostat for the best energy efficiency.
Prepping Your Outdoor Air Conditioner for Winter
You may not think much about your air conditioner as the colder weather creeps in, but you should take some steps to ensure it is ready for winter. This includes cleaning the unit and removing any debris from the top. You should trim back grass, plants, shrubs, and weeds around your air conditioner. Check the gutters hanging over the unit, making sure they are functional and not clogged. Clogged gutters could cause water to spill over the sides directly onto your cooling unit, which could cause damage.
Prepping your HVAC system for winter is vital to staying warm. It’s not enough to flip the switch and turn from the air conditioning to the furnace. You’ll need your unit inspected and tuned up to better ensure proper function throughout the season. At Queen City Heating & Cooling, our trusted technicians will help you prepare for the cold season with maintenance, repair, and installation of your HVAC system.
Before winter sets in, call Queen City Heating & Cooling to prepare your home’s HVAC system for the coldest part of the year.
