How to Care for Your Furnace: Beginner's Guide to HVAC Care

Congratulations! You've purchased a home, filled it with furniture, and decorated the space to make it your own. It's a big step, and a life event most take great pride in. Unfortunately, homeownership doesn't come with a manual, leaving you in a tough spot when something goes wrong.

Furnaces in Ohio are typically turned on in the fall, around September and October, and are most heavily used between December and February. Whether in a new home or a house you've lived in for years, understanding how to care for your furnace is important. It can increase the life and reliability of the equipment and prevent issues with carbon monoxide, a deadly gas.

Here are the 5 areas of furnace care every homeowner needs to know:

1. Annual Maintenance - Cleaning and Servicing the Furnace Before Winter

2. Changing The Filter - Keeping the Blower Motor and Evaporator Coil Clean

3. Carbon Monoxide Alarms - The Best Safety Measure

4. Ducts & Registers - Allowing Your System To Breathe

5. Observing Operations - Sounds & Signs to Look Out For

David Repairing A Furnace

Annual Furnace Maintenance

Regularly cleaning and servicing the furnace is a great way to keep your furnace efficient and running properly. Professional HVAC technicians will have a list of components to check and clean to prepare your furnace for heavier use during the winter. These appointments are generally less expensive than a standard service call and may even come as part of a maintenance subscription.

Click here for more information on Maintenance.

Changing The Furnace's Filter

Regularly changing the air filter in your ductwork is crucial to ensuring your equipment stays clean and efficient. The filter protects the blower motor and evaporator coil from getting dirty and is the easiest way to prevent damage to the furnace. Depending on lifestyle and household size, we recommend changing filters every 1 to 3 months.

Click here for more information on filters (changing them, different kinds, etc.).

Carbon Monoxide Alarms

Kidde Carbon Monoxide Alarm

Carbon Monoxide alarms, or "CO Alarms", are designed to detect carbon monoxide in the home. Carbon monoxide, or CO, is a deadly gas that has no odor or color and occurs when natural gas does not burn completely.

With any gas appliance, it's important to have CO alarms to know when the gas is present in your home. Testing these alarms and changing the batteries regularly is the best way to make sure you have the proper safety measures in place. If the alarm goes off, it's important to call an expert right away so they can find where the CO is coming from and remedy the issue.

Click here for more information about Carbon Monoxide from Furnaces.

Ducts & Registers - Letting the Furnace Breathe

Ducted HVAC Systems need adequate airflow to work properly. If ducts and registers are blocked, it can prevent the air from flowing through as easily, forcing your furnace to work harder. Check all registers in the home to be sure they are clear of objects to allow air to flow through the furnace.

Ductwork cleanings are a great way to improve airflow to the unit. We recommend clearing the ducts before having the furnace serviced due to excessive dust and dirt being kicked up from the ductwork. It's also good practice to check ductwork for any holes or damage that might inhibit airflow, too.

General Observations

Just like your wife, sometimes all a furnace needs you to do is listen. The best way to care for your HVAC equipment is to pay attention to the way it usually sounds so you can notice anything abnormal later. Looking at the unit and noting areas of corrosion, water around the unit, ice building up, or the color of the flame allows you to notice when these things change and could indicate a problem. Even the smell around your unit could help you recognize a gas leak or poor combustion.

During an annual cleaning, it can be helpful to ask your local furnace technician about any concerns they may have noticed. This way, if they notice something, you can keep tabs on it and notify them if the condition worsens (example: small hum becomes loud clanking noise).

Keeping up with these simple practices will allow your furnace to run efficiently, effectively, and for as long as possible.

5 Furnace & Heating Facts You Should Know: Homeowner's Guide to Heating

As an HVAC contractor, we have the privilege of talking to homeowners every single day. It is our job to keep homeowners informed and make sure they are able to make decisions best for them, their needs, and their budget. As we get to the end of summer and transition from air conditioning to heating season, we thought it might be helpful to answer some of the most common questions homeowners have about their home's heat.

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Remember, you're never expected to have all the answers.

However, as a homeowner, here are the top 5 things you should know about your furnace or heating equipment:

1. Heating Energy Source

2. Heating Equipment's Age

3. Heating Equipment's Efficiency

4. Thermostat Usage and Features

5. Previous Heating Repairs Made

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1. Heating Energy Source

Knowing whether your equipment runs on natural gas, propane, or electricity is important. Depending on the type of system, there are different safety precautions. For example, carbon monoxide alarms are useful for gas systems, but not for electric-based units. Make sure you know the appropriate safety measures for your heating equipment.

It's also good information when looking at your utility bills every month. Knowing which utility bills are affected by your heating usage can help you recognize potential problem areas in your home. If you have a gas furnace and notice an abnormally high gas bill, you may want to have your furnace checked for gas leaks or inefficient parts.

It's important to note here that, on occasion, we have found that certain electrical components of a gas furnace can also cause abnormally high electric bills.

2. Heating Equipment Age

The age of your equipment is also a great piece of information to have. This allows you to take advantage of warranties while they are still active and prepare for age-related repairs or replacements. In addition to your heating equipment's age, knowing how long it is expected to last is also helpful. This will help you prepare for the unit becoming less reliable and possibly needing repairs. Discussing replacement options toward the end of a furnace's expected lifespan will also help you prepare for its replacement when the time comes.

3. Equipment's Efficiency Rating

The efficiency of your furnace, geothermal, heat pump, boiler, or air handler impacts your energy use. When it does come time for replacement, knowing your current efficiency will help you decide which unit fits your budget best. If you decide to go with a lower efficiency, be prepared for higher utility bills. If you decide to go with a similar or higher efficiency, you can expect your utility bills to decrease. These higher-efficiency units will cost more upfront, but if you're planning to stay in your home long-term, they're a great investment.

4. Thermostat Usage and Features

Understanding your thermostat is certainly the most difficult of the five. The issue, we have discovered, is due to the variety of features they offer. It's certainly worth looking up a basic tutorial on your thermostat's features and how to use them. Wi-Fi compatible thermostats, Smart thermostats, programable thermostats - they're all different, and each offers its own variety of convenience features. Even if technology is not your thing, it's good to know about low battery indicators, temperature controls, switching from heat to cool to fan to auxiliary, and how to turn the system off if needed.

5. Previous Repairs Made

If a repair has been made to your furnace, you should pay attention to what the repair was and ask questions about what may have caused the issue. Regular maintenance is the best way to keep tabs on the health of your equipment, but some people choose to forego preventative maintenance. If that's you, then this step is even more important. Pay attention to patterns or common causes, and it could save you time and money later.

In Conclusion...

We have found that homeowners who know these five things tend to feel more prepared and informed when making decisions about their HVAC and heating systems. Our hope is that everyone is able to make the best decisions for their home and household.

Have a question? Leave it in the comments!

Our technicians are here to help!

- Greene's Plumbing, Heating, and Electrical

Tiffin, Ohio Furnace Repair and Installation