HOW To Prep your Furnace For Fall & Winter
It’s hard to believe that Fall is around the corner, and right behind it is Winter. Out here in West Texas, the weather is pretty unpredictable and the last thing you want is for a furnace repair to put a damper on your Fall Festivities or your Winter Holidays. Who needs another expense during Christmas season?! To avoid costly interventions, there are a few things you can do to make sure your furnace is ready for the first frost. This is a DIY list, but Williams A/C & Heating is happy to do the prep for you if you don’t need another task added to your list.
The first line of defense for homeowners and business owners when it comes to all things HVAC is always going to be to replace your air filters and to clear all your return and supply grilles of obstructions. For non industry folks, that just means make sure that your air flow is unobstructed and that you have fresh filters installed in your unit. Research your model and make sure that you understand how it takes in air and where it’s pushing heated air out.
Next, check for any gas smell around your furnace. We all know the smell, something like rotten eggs or sulfur. This is a compound called mercaptan, and natural gas suppliers add it to your gas lines to alert you to a gas leak. If your gas has been off all summer, you may not notice it immediately, so be sure to keep a watchful eye out for it. The smell might be focused around the gas valve or near the pilot. If you do smell gas, make sure that you turn off your gas valve and give Williams A/C & Heating (or for anyone outside of Texas, a trusted professional) a call. If you have a gas leak, you may need some professional intervention before your furnace is ready to use.
If your filters are replaced, the airflow is clear and the gas is not leaking, next up you can make sure all of your fire and carbon monoxide detectors have brand new batteries. If you have a furnace in your home, you should also consider a fire extinguisher if you don’t already have one. A faulty furnace can cause a fire or release carbon monoxide into your home. As much as we all love our firefighters, there are easier ways to run into them without burning the place down.
It sounds unfathomable while it’s still upward of 80 degrees in West Texas, but you should schedule time for a test cycle in the fall do this before dangerous freezing temperatures set in, so that you aren’t surprised when it really counts. During your test cycle you will probably smell a burning smell as the furnace burns away any dirt in the heat exchanger. This should smell closer to a campfire or have an organic earthy smell. This smell should not smell like burning plastic, it should not irritate your nose or throat and it should not produce visible smoke in your home or business.
If you smell burning plastic or wiring turn off your furnace immediately and give Williams A/C & Heating a call. We are open 24 hours a day and will dispatch an expert to your home or business if you need assistance.
Heat is crucial in Winter, cold snaps are dangerous when you don’t have reliable heat. At Williams A/C & Heating we are committed to ensuring both your comfort and your safety. If you notice anything going wrong during your preparations, don’t hesitate to call in a trusted professional. If you haven’t had a professional service or inspect your unit in the last year or two, we recommend that you have one done. You can request a residential furnace inspection or tune up here. You can request a commercial furnace inspection or tune up here.