Ignore These Three Things And Your Furnace May Shut Down

When your furnace shuts down, it’s often at the most inopportune time. Ever had a dinner party scheduled, only to wake up to no heat in your home? Yep, that’s not the best way to start your day.

Sometimes, things happen. Your furnace is just a piece of mechanical equipment. Over time, things will go wrong.

But as HVAC contractors, we know your furnace gives clues along the way that something is wrong. If you pay attention, you can avoid this situation altogether by doing these three things.

Change your air filter

We repeat this a lot around here. We do it because it works. The typical furnace filter needs to be replaced on a regular basis. At a minimum, at the start of each working season. In many cases, it’s better to change it out more frequently, every one to three months for a guideline. Take a look at your filter – can you see through it? Or is it filled with dust? Imagine trying to breathe through it. If you can’t imagine trying that, think of what it’s doing to your furnace, and your air supply.

Open registers and vents

There’s a myth out there that shutting down registers in rooms you don’t use will save money. The fact is, closing these vents increases energy bills and eventually can hurt the mechanics of your furnace. When you shut down vents, your heating system can’t operate the way it was designed. Pressure builds inside the air ducts, putting a strain on the blower system inside your furnace. The air supply has to go somewhere. That’s why you’re more likely to damage the ducts and the mechanics of your furnace, which in turn causes less comfort for you throughout your home.

Schedule regular maintenance visits

As a homeowner, your time and energy are pulled in many directions. Why invest in maintenance if nothing is wrong with your system? But with your HVAC system, having annual maintenance visits can ensure your equipment is working the way it should, so that you stay comfortable year round. This allows a technician to catch small problems, and fix them before they grow bigger. Regular maintenance can save you money over time.

Is it time to schedule your maintenance visit for the fall season?