4 Furnace Maintenance Mistakes To Avoid
Posted on: 24 August 2022
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Your furnace needs proper maintenance for it to function efficiently. Maintenance will improve your home's heating, lower your energy and fuel costs, and increase your unit's life span. Moreover, your home will have improved air quality, and your machine won't experience frequent breakdowns that can lead to costly repairs.
You must be careful when cleaning or carrying out various maintenance services on your unit. Here are furnace maintenance mistakes you should avoid.
Placing Items Near Vents
You should avoid placing items like furniture near your air return vents. The items can block the vents and hinder proper airflow. Restricted airflow will interfere with the efficiency of your heating system. Therefore, your furnace will struggle to heat your home properly. Also, the blockage can lead to overheating your unit, damaging components like evaporator coils, motors, and the compressor.
Not Changing Air Filters
With time, your air filters will become clogged with dust and debris. If you don't change the filters regularly, the blockage will reduce airflow to your furnace. Hence, your furnace won't have sufficient air to heat your home. The component will struggle to compensate for the airflow deficiency, making it vulnerable to breakdowns.
Clogged air filters impede your system's ability to eliminate humidity in your air. So, moisture can accumulate in your unit, triggering mold growth. The spores from the mold can spread to your home and pollute your indoor air. Inhaling contaminated air can cause allergic reactions.
Not Cleaning Your Ductwork
Your ductwork is responsible for distributing conditioned air into your home. Dirt and other pollutants can accumulate in the ductwork if you don't clean them regularly. This issue will interfere with indoor air quality as the vents will blow the contaminants into your indoor air space. You may experience various respiratory problems, such as coughing and sneezing.
While you can clean the outside of your unit, you should avoid cleaning the ductwork yourself. You should call an HVAC system professional to help you do the job. You may not properly clean the components and remove all the contaminants. Also, improper cleaning will affect the vents' life span and cause damage, leading to unnecessary replacement costs.
Not Setting the Thermostat Correctly
Setting the thermostat's temperature too high to heat your home faster is a bad idea. Your furnace can only increase your home's heat by a certain margin. Hence, higher temperature settings will cause your thermostat to overwork and consume a lot of energy, increasing utility bills.
If you aren't sure about the correct thermostat settings, you should call your HVAC professional to help you.
Contact a local HVAC service to learn more about taking care of your furnace.