The heat is on to warm your house this winter. No matter what kind of heating system your home has, it’s important to regularly maintain it. Read on to find out why maintenance is important and learn about the risks and hazards you’ll be avoiding by taking care of your system!
Maintenance Is About More Than Efficiency
Replacing your furnace can cost you a pretty penny, but luckily, maintenance is a lot easier on your wallet. Money aside, a well-maintained furnace is cleaner, more efficient, and will have an extended life. While an annual inspection from an HVAC expert is recommended, there are still a number of tasks that you can check off yourself to ensure that your furnace is in good running order.
From the thermostat to the blower fan, you’ll want to check that all parts in your system are turned on, clean, properly sealed, and leak-free. A poorly maintained furnace poses the potential risk of a carbon monoxide leak.
Catching the Invisible Culprit
Carbon monoxide is the leading cause of accidental poisoning deaths in America. Leaks can be difficult to detect because the gas is colorless and odorless. Since symptoms are flu-like, they are easily overlooked. Exposure to carbon monoxide may include:
- Dull headache
- Weakness
- Dizziness
- Nausea
Although home heating systems only represent 5% of potential carbon monoxide sources, it’s important to maintain your furnace, get it serviced yearly, and keep your CO detector in good working order so those hazardous levels don’t rise.
Don’t Let Your Electrical Unit Shock You
Furnace leaks aren’t the only concern to watch out for! If you’re not dealing with a gas furnace, your electrical unit still requires careful maintenance. Electrical furnaces require an appropriately sized breaker to safely distribute air throughout your home. An improperly sized breaker or incorrect wiring not only causes damage to your furnace, but can potentially cause extensive damage to the electrical system in your home.
Preventing Heat Pump Problems
If a furnace isn’t heating your home, then you probably have a heat pump. A heat pump operates in a similar way as an air conditioner and has the ability to both heat and cool a space. Since heat pumps rely on refrigerant to run, it’s essential for it to be correctly charged. Incorrectly charging your heat pump may seem like a small problem now, but failing to address it can lead to very expensive compressor problems later.
Taking care of your heating system is taking care of your home! Staying on top of maintenance keeps minor problems from turning into major headaches. Whether you’re in need of an annual service, you’re worried about leaks, or something’s acting up, get in touch with our talented team!