5 DIY Furnace Maintenance Tips

Your home’s furnace ensures a comfortable living environment, especially during chilly winters. While homeowners can perform some basic maintenance tasks, many aspects of furnace care require the expertise of a professional. This guide provides useful DIY tips for simple furnace maintenance while emphasizing the importance of regular professional servicing to ensure your system remains in optimal working condition.

1. Regularly Clean and Replace Filters

Homeowners can easily carry out simple activities, such as changing or cleaning air filters, for their furnaces as needed. Dust, dirt, and other deposits may accumulate in these filters, resulting in reduced airflow and furnace performance. You should clean or replace your filters once every one to three months, depending upon the type and quality.

When replacing filters, use the correct size and type for your specific furnace model. You should also check and clean any additional filters on your system, such as those in the blower or air intake.

This simple task can improve your furnace’s efficiency and lifespan and promote better indoor air quality. Alternatively, have professional technicians thoroughly clean and inspect your furnace’s filters during their maintenance visit.

2. Keep Vents and Registers Clean

Another easy task to improve your furnace’s efficiency is regularly cleaning your home’s vents and registers. These can become clogged with dust, dirt, and pet hair, obstructing airflow and causing your furnace to work harder than necessary.

Simply remove the covers of your vents and registers and use a vacuum or duster to clear any debris. Also, do not forget to inspect and clean the air intake vents in your furnace because they, too, can get blocked by dirt and dust particles. Lastly, ensure that furniture or other objects do not block your vents and registers as this can impede airflow.

3. Check and Clean the Blower Motor

The blower motor in your furnace is responsible for circulating air throughout your home. With time, it might get dirty or gather some debris, limiting its effectiveness and damaging your furnace. Therefore, you must frequently take measures such as checking and cleaning the blower motor.

First, turn off the power to your furnace and remove the access panel to reach the blower motor. Carefully clean any accumulated dust and debris using a vacuum or damp cloth.

However, if you notice too much soil dirt on your blower, you should have experts clean and lubricate your blower motor. They have the necessary equipment and tools to do this work professionally. If you need a specialized furnace maintenance service provider in Puyallup, try Puyallup Heating & Air Conditioning. We have the experience to handle all your furnace maintenance needs.

4. Inspect and Clean the Burners

The burners in your furnace are responsible for igniting and heating the air circulating throughout your home. With time, these parts get dirty or have debris, and this contamination may affect their functionality. For them to function properly, regular inspection and cleaning of the burners is required.

First, turn off the gas supply to your furnace and remove the access panel to reach the burners. Carefully clean any accumulated debris using a vacuum or damp cloth. You may also need to apply a wire brush or needle, especially when dealing with stubborn residue. Check the flame color as well, and adjust it if necessary. However, if you realize any major burner problems, consult an expert technician for help.

5. Test Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas that may be generated from wrongly fitted furnaces. It has dire consequences on your life. Therefore, install carbon monoxide detectors in your house and frequently check if they work.

You should check for proper operation of your carbon monoxide detectors monthly by pressing and holding the test button until the alarm goes off. However, if they do not sound off or it has been more than five years since the last replacement, the detectors must be replaced with new ones. Our HVAC technicians can inspect your carbon monoxide detectors to ensure they are working correctly.

Don’t let yourself be caught unprepared when a winter chill begins. At Puyallup Heating & Air Conditioning, we offer heating, cooling, and indoor air quality services in Puyallup, WA. Leave the HVAC system to our skilled and seasoned team and relax with the assurance that your house is safe. Contact us to find out more.