The Importance of Regular Furnace Maintenance

Speaking in home terms, the furnace is the heart of your home. And just like a heart, a furnace needs regular maintenance too. Without regular check-ups, your furnace can work at a lower efficiency, eat more of your hard-earned income and even cause sickness or death. 

Furnace Cleaning
Having your furnace cleaned is an important part of your regular household maintenance. The furnace connects to ducts which are connected to vents in your floor and ceiling. The floor vents often collect food, dust, pet hair and sometimes even toys. When the furnace is turned on, air is force through the ducts and up into your living area. The dust and items in your vents gets distributed through the rooms of your house lessening the air quality and can cause more severe allergies and general respiratory aggravation.

·         The clean ducts can result in:

• Improved airflow
• Lower heating costs
• Better air quality

Your furnace should be cleaned every two years or immediately after a new home construction, renovations, or if you have water in your ducts for some reason. The latter can cause mold spores to be spread throughout your house which as we all know is extremely dangerous.

To have your furnace cleaned, make sure you call a professional company that employs certified and trained furnace cleaning staff.

Filter Replacement
Furnace filters should be inspected by the homeowner once per month. Filters are in place to keep dust particles and debris from damaging the fan. Some filters can be vacuumed, others will need to be replaced. Filters can last anywhere from 3 months to a year depending on the type you have. 

The rate at which you change it or clean it depends on surrounding circumstances:

• Pets
• Allergies
• Age of furnace
• Type of filter
• Time of year (it will need to be changed more often during the winter months.

Furnace Inspection
To have your furnace inspected, just call your local utility company. Most companies offere a free service and will send out a qualified person to make sure your furnace is still running smoothly and intact.  The inspections should take place in the spring, before the heating season, once per year.

This is probably the most important aspect of furnace maintenance. Your furnace can emit deadly carbon monoxide gas into your house which can lead to sickness and even death. The inspector will be able to see and problems or defects that could lead to this problem.

Remember – just like your body, the furnace also needs a yearly check-up and proper care and TLC.

Lilly Gordon is a freelance writer and web publisher. She is currently researching on furnace cleaning and plumbing in Edmonton.