With spring just around the corner, we’re all looking forward to warmer weather. This not only means busting out your spring wardrobe but also turning off the furnace for the summer.
However, before you forget about your furnace completely for four or five months, it’s important to take a few steps to prepare your furnace so it’s ready for next season.
Change the Filter
One of the most important things you can do to help your furnace keep functioning efficiently and effectively for many years is to change your air filter regularly. When the filter gets clogged, air doesn’t flow very well. This makes it harder for your furnace to distribute the heat it produces, which leads to less effective heating and higher energy bills.
You should change your furnace filter about every month or so, but many people let it go for a long time at the end of the season because you’re tired of dealing with it, and the season’s going to be over soon, anyway, right? However, at the same time, people often forget to change their filter when it comes time to turn on the furnace in the fall, leading to poor operation at the start of the season. It can also mean fighting with everyone else at the hardware store on the first cold days to try to get the right size filter. Save yourself the trouble and change it at the end of the season so your furnace is ready to go when you need it.
Thermostat Batteries
If your thermostat runs on batteries, now is a good time to replace them. Thermostat problems account for many repair calls because they can lead to the furnace not coming on, having it come on, then shut off, or the house not getting warm enough. Thermostat batteries can be a frustrating problem to troubleshoot because they can sometimes seem fine, even if they’re not delivering the right current. Though many thermostats have a low battery warning, it doesn’t always come on.
It’s a good idea to get in the habit of changing your thermostat batteries every year and twice a year if your thermostat controls both home heating and cooling.
Test Your Carbon Monoxide and Smoke Detectors
Carbon monoxide detectors and smoke detectors are important pieces of safety equipment for your home or business. Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, and deadly gas that is often produced as a combustion product by natural gas, propane, and oil furnaces and boilers. Smoke detectors warn you if a fire starts at your furnace.
To protect your property, your family, and your life, it’s important to make sure this safety equipment is working properly. If you already have this test set up for daylight savings time, great. Otherwise, adding it to your end of heating season checklist is a good idea. Press the test button for each detector to make sure the sirens come on and are sufficiently loud. Change the batteries. Finally, check the age of the detectors. Although the siren might be loud, detectors become less sensitive over time. Replace smoke detectors after ten years and carbon monoxide detectors after seven.
Consider a Replacement or Upgrade
As you are shutting down your furnace for the season, think about how this season went. Did your furnace function all season long with no trouble? Or did you have to call for furnace repairs several times? Did you have to do without heat for a day or two? Were your energy bills much higher than you’d expect based on the weather? If your furnace is causing you more and more trouble these days and not operating as efficiently, maybe it’s time to think about an upgrade or furnace replacement with a more efficient and higher-performance unit.
And if you’re going to replace it, the best time to do it is during the off season. This will give you time to research different options and get quotes from multiple companies. It will also help you avoid the rush that happens when temperatures drop in the fall. Plus, you won’t be scrambling for a replacement when your furnace doesn’t come on in the winter. You might find good promotional pricing, too.
If you’re also considering upgrading your air conditioning, too, it’s best to do this in the mild weather of the spring, before cooling demand ramps up.
Schedule Fall Furnace Maintenance
If you want to get a few more seasons out of your current furnace, there’s no better way to do that than scheduling regular furnace maintenance. Don’t risk forgetting or trying to schedule it when furnace technicians are busy – get yourself on the schedule now. Then you will know that it’s all taken care of, and you can enjoy the warm weather without worrying about your furnace.
Furnace Maintenance and Replacement in Colorado
Whether you are looking to keep your current furnace running or want to replace or upgrade your furnace, Major Heating & Air Conditioning can help. Since 1970, Major Heating & Air Conditioning has been helping Coloradans stay warm and comfortable all winter long, and we can help you, too. We serve communities along the Front Range from Castle Rock to Fort Collins, including Denver.
We’ve maintained our position as leaders in this industry for five decades by always providing our customers with outstanding value. We deliver quality furnaces and air conditioners at a good price. When you call us out for furnace maintenance and service, you can count on our expertise in all types of heating and cooling equipment. That’s how we’ve maintained our A+ rating with the BBB since 1983.
Are you looking for a quality replacement furnace or need maintenance for your current unit? Please contact Major Heating & Air Conditioning today.
