A furnace is one of the easiest ways to keep your house warm during the cold season. Unfortunately, like any other appliance, furnaces can wear and tear over time, leading to reduced efficiency. This is why you should maintain your furnace regularly to keep its performance at peak levels and prolong its lifespan.

One great way to care for your furnace is to schedule regular inspections and maintenance. During the inspections, you can check the various parts of the furnace to ensure they are working well. If you are not skilled in DIY furnace maintenance, you can easily do a search for “furnace maintenance near me” for a professional checkup on the appliance.

Read on to learn more about how you can maintain your furnace to boost its efficiency and prolong its lifespan.

Change the Air Filters

Air filters help maintain air quality in the house by trapping dust and other solid particles. With time, dust particles and debris accumulate on the filters, making it hard for them to work well. To ensure proper airflow, you should change the furnace filters after every two to three months. You can change it more often if you live in an extremely cold area and the furnace is always on.

Here is a step-by-step process that you can follow to change the filters:

  • Switch off the furnace.
  • Remove the service panel.
  • Slide the filter out.
  • Slide in the new filter
  • Turn on the furnace.

Check for Strange Sounds

A furnace contains multiple moving parts that may produce some sounds when turned on. You can tell if the furnace needs to be cleaned by listening to the sound it makes. Unusual sounds may mean that there is an underlying issue with the system.

Here are the common sounds that you may hear, and what they mean:

  • Clicking: Implies an ignition problem caused by dirty burners or damaged gas valves.
  • Rattling or rumbling: This happens when there are loose furnace parts or the heat exchanger is cracked.
  • Whistling: Whistling is caused by restricted air flows. You can change the air filters to facilitate better airflow.
  • Beeping: A beeping sound on smart furnaces notifies you of dirty air filters, sensor issues, or low thermostat batteries.
  • Screeching: A screeching sound implies there’s an issue with the furnace motor bearing.

Check the Thermostat

A thermostat controls the amount of heat a furnace delivers into the house. When inspecting the furnace, you should check the thermostat to ensure it’s working well. Turn it on and wait for the furnace to start working. If the furnace shuts down shortly after turning it on, it means that it’s short-cycling (the heating cycles don’t run as long as they should). A furnace mainly short-cycles when it doesn’t have enough airflow, possibly due to plugged vents or a dirty filter.

You can also check if the temperature indicated on the thermostat matches the room temperature. If your room feels much colder or hotter than the display temperature, this means that your thermostat isn’t accurate. If your home has a smart thermostat, you can restart it manually to see if the issue gets resolved. Don’t hesitate to consult a professional for inspection if you can’t fix the issue.

Here are other things that point to a faulty thermostat:

  • The thermostat has no power.
  • The furnace won’t turn on or off.
  • The thermostat doesn’t respond.
  • The thermostat forgets programmed settings.

Check the Ignition and Exhaust Systems

The furnace ignitor doesn’t work as expected when it’s dirty. The dirt is mostly made up of dust and a thin carbon layer that accumulates every time you switch on the furnace. When inspecting your furnace, clean up the ignition to maintain its efficiency and aesthetic appeal. You should also repair or replace the ignitor if it starts making strange sounds.

As for the exhaust system, you should switch off the furnace and look for visible damages, leaks, and possible blockages. You can also test for contaminations in the exhaust system using an exhaust emissions kit. The exhaust mainly emits carbon monoxide, which is harmful to your health. If your test shows that the exhaust system is contaminated, you should call a professional to clean it or replace it if necessary.

Improve Your Furnace’s Functionality

A furnace can last for more than ten years with proper care and maintenance. Therefore, you should make it a routine to inspect your furnace, clean it, and repair or replace any damaged parts. You can always seek the help of a professional technician to help with the inspection. They will then advise you on whether to repair, replace, or buy an entirely new furnace.