Taking Great Care of My Factory

Three Tips For Preparing Your Furnace For The Heating Season

19 September 2016

Deann Hunter

Heating oil is one of the more common options when it comes to providing homes with heat. However, there are steps that need to be taken in order to prepare the furnace for the intensive use it will see during the winter months. To help you make sure your furnace is ready for the winter, you will need to be mindful of these simple steps that you should do in the fall.

Clean The Entire Exterior Of The Furnace

During the spring and summer months, it is possible for dust to gather on the exterior of the furnace. This dust may not seem like it will pose a significant threat, but it can cause a number of performance related issues. For example, this dust may prevent air from entering through the vents of the unit. Also, it can ignite, which may pose a fire risk or cause burning odors to fill your home. To minimize this risk, you should thoroughly wipe down the entire exterior of the furnace with a damp cloth. When performing this maintenance, you will want to pay special attention to the unit's burner. The burner can accumulate dust, which might cause disruptions to the heater's supply of heating oil.

Replace The Air Filter

Your heating system will circulate large amounts of air throughout your home, and air filters are used by these systems to help improve the quality of the air in your home. Prior to the start of heating season, you should make it a point to change your unit's air filter. Some individuals may not check the status of the air filter before they activate the unit, but large amounts of dust, molds and insects may gather on the filter during the summer months. By replacing the air filter, you can ensure the unit is getting enough air to function efficiently while minimizing the risk of the home smelling musty when the heater is turned on for the first cold day of the year.  

Look For Signs Of Rust

You will also need to thoroughly inspect the unit for signs of rust. It can be common for homeowners to place their heaters in the basement, and while this can help to keep these large appliances from taking up space in your home's living areas, it can expose the heater to higher humidity levels. Once rust develops, it can lead to heating oil leaks, air leaks and numerous other performance problems. By inspecting the unit for rust prior to each heating season, you will be able to catch this problem before it is able to become severe enough to ruin your furnace.

For more information, contact companies like Fox Fuel Co. 

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