There’s nothing like the cozy atmosphere of sitting in front of the fireplace on a snowy night. As the weather cools down, check out this blog entry prepared by the Denver HVAC and heating system repair exports here at Air Improvement Denver regarding the essentials of Winter furnace inspection and maintenance.
Furnace Cleaning
Furnace filters should be removed and cleaned. We recommend using a vacuum cleaner to remove cobwebs, debris, dust, and dirt. Turn off power to the furnace, and clean inside the control panel. Look for any loose wires or damage caused by vermin during the Summer. Put the control panel cover back on, and replace it if the older one is too dirty or corroded to be cleaned.
Blower Motor Inspection
Some furnace blower motors require lubrication while others do not. Check your furnace owner’s manual to see if your furnace requires oil – and ONLY use the required furnace oil type. Clean your furnace blower, furnace motor, and all around the furnace blower wheel. Your furnace blower speed could be set on “high” or “strong” mode for the Summer air conditioning. However, heating does not require high-speed air movement; furnaces actually work much better when air blowers are on medium or low settings. Consult your furnace manual for instructions on how to change the blower speed, or contact a professional Denver furnace maintenance team, like those here at Air Improvement Denver, for expert assistance.
Heat Activation
Open up your windows, turn your thermostat to heating settings, and turn it up high for a couple of minutes. You should then feel warm air coming from your vents. You could smell some strange smells at first, which usually occur when furnaces are sitting unused all Summer. The smell should rapidly dissipate with windows open. If the odor continues, you should reach out to Air Improvement Denver as soon as possible to arrange for professional Denver air duct cleaning service.
What if the heating does not work?
If your furnace is not emitting heat, first check to verify that the thermostat is actually on the heating setting. If you have an electronic thermostat, see if changing the batteries help. If this doesn’t work, inspect circuit breaker panel to make sure the furnace breaker hasn’t been tripped or turned off. Try turning the furnace breaker off and back on if it is tripped to reset it. If this doesn’t solve the issue, contact a professional Denver HVAC repair technician for assistance.