Tips For Preparing Your Furnace For The Summer
Many homeowners are familiar with the importance of having their furnace tuned up and serviced before the winter months, but they may overlook the need to prepare the furnace for the idleness of the summer months. Failing to prepare your furnace for these periods of time can result in the system experiences performance issues when you first activate it.
Have Your Furnace Cleaned
After a long winter of heavy use, it is likely that a sizeable amount of residue has gathered in the furnace. This is especially true for furnaces that burn oil as opposed to natural gas because it will leave behind far more residue. If these materials are allowed to stay in the furnace over the entire summer, they will harden and be far more difficult to remove. By cleaning the furnace at the start of the summer, you can ensure that your system is ready to work as efficiently as possible the next time that you need it. Fortunately, cleaning a furnace can require it to be partially disassembled, but if you do not have the technical ability to do this task, you can hire a heating service contractor to do it for you.
Install Clean Air Filters
Replacing the air filters every month or two is essential for keeping your furnace working efficiently during the winter months. Dirty air filters can prevent the burner from receiving sufficient oxygen, and this may reduce the efficiency of the system while also increasing the amount of residue that is produced. If you leave dirty air filters in the furnace for prolonged periods, some of the dirt and dust from the air filter will get on the interior of the furnace.
Cover The Unit
Dust gathering on the furnace during the summer months can be a major problem. If significant amounts of dust gather around the air intake vents, the system may not get enough air when it is running. Also, dust in the system can lower the air quality in the house while also causing the system to create a powerful burning odor. If your furnace is completely detached from the rest of your air conditioning system, you should cover it once you have shut it down for the summer. Ideally, you should use cloth so that condensation does not get trapped against the metal, and this cloth will prevent dust from gathering directly on the furnace so that you do not have to clean it before you use it during the fall or winter.
Contact a contractor, like Biggerstaff Plumbing Heating & Air, for more help.
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