A furnace is one of the most important appliances in your home. It provides heat and comfort all year round, but only when it’s properly maintained. When your furnace goes without maintenance for long periods, you’ll notice a decrease in energy efficiency over the years. Below, we’ll take you through five ways to keep your furnace in peak condition.
Give It a Checkup Twice a Year
Over the years, your furnace will experience normal wear and tear, but your furnace can maintain a consistent level of energy efficiency with regular maintenance. Not only do checkups enable you to catch problems before they end up needing costly repairs, but they also help extend the life of your furnace by five or even 10 more years.
Replace the Filter Every 90 Days
Your filters collect debris to prevent airborne particles from entering your home. But after a while, it can become buildup that effectively hinders your furnace’s ability to perform efficiently. Replacing your filters regularly prevents your home from getting dusty from the missed airborne particles the filters don’t catch, effectively leading to poor indoor air quality. Keeping up with regular filter replacement will also allow your furnace to heat your home adequately.
Know the Best Temperature To Set Your Thermostat At
It’s not well known that thermostat settings affect a furnace’s efficiency. When not using the adequate temperature setting, it can mean making your furnace work more than it should, meaning a waste in energy. The recommended thermostat setting is 78 degrees. Seven to 10 degrees higher in summer and seven to 10 degrees lower in winter are also recommended.
Check the Color of Your Flame
If you have a gas furnace, you’ll notice that it utilizes a pilot light as part of its overall components to heat your home. If your furnace is working properly, you should see a clean blue flame. If it produces an orange or yellow flame, it could indicate that the air intake valve is dirty, possibly clogged. Schedule service to have this problem handled.
Clean the Condensate Drain
The condensate drain in your furnace works by catching the humidity and excess water that is removed from the air as it heats up before it is blown through your home. If not drained regularly, you’ll notice moldy and other unpleasant smells flowing through your home whenever you use your furnace. That’s why it’s important to clear it out every 90 days with the help of a professional.
Get Maintenance Services With Waldrop!
While you can perform some DIY maintenance on your furnace, proper maintenance is key to keeping your furnace in peak condition. Consider hiring a professional to get the job done right. Give our technicians a call at (864) 536-0887 to schedule maintenance.
