Tips to Maintain Your Furnace as the Seasons Change

Modern furnaces are made to last for years. Performing regular maintenance tasks can extend the life of your furnace even longer, while keeping energy efficiency at an acceptable level. Certain maintenance tasks can be done by the homeowner, but more extensive work requiring inspection and repair of HVAC components should be handled by professionals.

Tips to maintain your furnace

• Change the air filter – Regular replacement of the air filter is the single most important step to maintaining a smooth-running furnace. A good quality filter protects the components of your HVAC system and traps pollutants to provide good indoor air quality. There are several types of filters available at home improvement centers.

1.  Fiberglass filters are inexpensive and constructed in a single panel design. Large particles are trapped by this filter, but smaller pollutants are able to pass through the filter and enter the supply ducts.
2. Pleated or polyester filters are more effective at capturing all size air particles. The pleated design employs a larger filtering surface. The cost of the filter is more than fiberglass filters, but replacement is less frequent.
3. Washable air filters require extensive maintenance involving washing and completely drying the filter. Installing a filter that is not completely dry can result in moisture inside system components.
4. High-efficiency air filters are generally used by hospitals or homeowners that have special air quality requirements. Airflow may be restricted because of dense filter material design of high-efficiency filters.

• Clean the furnace – The blower assembly and pulleys can be accessed by removing the panel covering the air filter. Turn off the circuit breaker when cleaning the area inside the furnace. Electrical connections may be exposed in this area.
• Inspect the furnace – The change of seasons is a good time to schedule a professional inspection of your HVAC system. A qualified technician can inspect the total system for potential problems. Any repairs can be done before the furnace is operated during the cooler months.

Please contact Rinaldi’s Air Conditioning Service with any concerns about ways to maintain your furnace. We have been proudly serving the Orlando, Florida area since 1969.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Orlando, Florida and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about furnaces and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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