Fall Maintenance for Your Gas Furnace

Fall is a wonderful season filled with many holidays, beautiful scenery, and comfortably cool weather (at least at first). It’s also the season where you should be preparing your home for winter and the cold weather that will surely arrive in no time at all. The first thing to cross off on your fall checklist — servicing your furnace.

Step 1: Inspection – Turn the furnace on and set the thermostat a few degrees above room temperature. Once the burners kick on, check to see if they are emitting solid blue flames. If they have any orange or yellow flames, call a technician.

Step 2: Shut Down – Once your visual inspection is finished, turn off the furnace and shut off the main gas valve. Performing maintenance on a powered furnace with an open gas flow is dangerous to you and the furnace.

Step 3: Clean Up – Allow the furnace to cool down and then open up the furnace door. Begin vacuuming the inside of the furnace to remove any dust. To remove dust in hard to reach areas, use a damp cloth. If there is a decent amount of soot present, a technician may have to be called to fix malfunctioning parts.

Step 4: Inspect the Belt – Check the fan belt to make sure it is still in good condition. Replace the belt if it is cracked or worn out. If the belt stretches more than a half inch in either direction, it will need to be tightened. If the belt doesn’t stretch at least a half inch, it will need to be adjusted or replaced.

Step 5: Final Touches – After you close the furnace door, you’ll have one more thing to do. Replace the furnace filter to start the heating season with clean and filtered air. Remember to change this filter roughly once per month.

Furnaces need occasional TLC and should be serviced at least once per year. When you need a professional HVAC technician to service yours before the cold weather arrives, contact Lancaster Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electrical. To learn more, or to schedule an appointment, give us a call at (717) 207-8198.