Preparing Your Furnace For The Cold: Essential Repairs

Fall is here, and winter is just around the corner. In Canada, the cold season is already here. Cold weather is always a significant danger, and one must maintain one's heater well. If you have a regularly serviced furnace, you can keep warm during the cold season and simultaneously receive a break in your energy bills.

This article explains the essential furnace repairs that must be made to prepare for the cold season. It also offers some recommendations on where to find a proper HVAC contractor, like Nor-Can Heating & Air in Edmonton, to assist with these repairs.

The Importance Of Furnace Maintenance

Benefits Of Regular Maintenance

Annual furnace tune-ups are critical to guarantee that your furnace runs effectively and without risks. There are many benefits to having your furnace regularly inspected and tuned up, including:

Energy efficiency: A well-maintained furnace will work more efficiently, reducing energy bill expenses.

Longer lifespan: The duration in which a furnace would survive can also be enhanced by paying regular checkups.

Safety: The furnaces that are well maintained will not be more prone to failure, hence causing more safety issues.

Potential Consequences Of Neglecting Maintenance

If you neglect to have your furnace regularly maintained, you may experience several negative consequences, including:

Unexpected breakdowns: These furnaces are even prone to malfunctioning at the most inopportune times, including during the frosty months when you need them most.

Increased energy costs: If a furnace is poorly maintained, its efficiency will decrease, translating to high energy consumption.

Health hazards: Proper furnace ventilation is vital since improper ventilation can release carbon monoxide into your home, which is dangerous to your health.

Essential Furnace Repairs

Inspection And Tune-Up

A furnace inspection and tune-up is maintenance that involves checking and correcting the existing statuses of your furnace to guarantee safe and efficient utilization. During an inspection and tune-up, a professional HVAC contractor will:

Clean and lubricate components: This will help not only prevent the components from wearing out too quickly but also give you the opportunity to use unique opportunities and improve.

Check for leaks and obstructions. Leakage and obstruction are undoubtedly significant concerns that affect the efficiency of your furnace and present safety risks.

Test thermostat functionality: An issue with a thermostat can lead to your furnace running ineffectively.

Common Repairs

Many furnace repairs can be made; here are some of the most common. Some of the most common repairs include:

Replacing worn-out parts: Belts, filters, burners, and other components of the furnace throughout its function wear out, leading to inefficiencies and furnace breakdown.

Repairing or replacing the heat exchanger: The heat exchanger is integral to your furnace. It must be repaired or replaced if damaged, which will cost money or resources.

Addressing issues with the ignition system: The ignition system turns on the burners in your furnace. If it is not working correctly, your furnace will not be able to warm your house.

Signs That Your Furnace Needs Repair

Unusual noises: Any strange sound you hear from your furnace, including banging, rattling, or squealing, should be cause for concern.

Uneven heating: If your home is warm in some areas but cold in others, you may need the services of a furnace repair expert.

High energy bills: When your energy bills go up, especially during the winter, this may be due to a less efficient furnace.

Foul odours: Stinking alarms from your furnace may be caused by excess carbon, a hole in the heat exchanger, or any other related part.

DIY Tips For Furnace Maintenance

Tip #1: Regular Cleaning

Although you are recommended to entrust the job of maintaining your furnace to a professional HVAC contractor at least once a year, you can do the following on your own. The best thing you should do is ensure your furnace is clean. This includes:

Replacing the filter: Your furnace's filter should be changed every one to three months. Dust usually affects the flow of air your furnace supplies whenever you need it most.

Cleaning vents and ducts: Venting and ducts are expected to become dusty and filled with particles after some time. This can minimize the circulation in your furnace, making it work less efficiently.

Tip #2: Safety Precautions

When it comes to dealing with your furnace, then you should take certain precautions to avoid accidents. This includes:

Turning off the furnace: It is also important to note that the furnace must be off when the work is being done.

Using carbon monoxide detectors: Carbon monoxide is a lethal, odourless, colourless gas. It should be installed in every home and addressed always.

Conclusion

Therefore, it is highly recommended that your furnace be maintained at least once a year to avoid future costly problems.

It is essential to seek the services of an HVAC contractor to have your furnace inspected and tuned up at least once every year to minimize the chances of a breakdown, high energy use, and possibly accidents.