Avoid the risk!
Imagine yourself waking up to a freezing cold home and a furnace that won’t turn on. Only those who have experienced a furnace breakdown can tell you how stressful it is. Avoid putting you and your family at risk of such an event through regular maintenance
Seth Roe, an expert technician, was recently interviewed by WCCO-TV when he was on a repair call at Denise’s home in St. Paul. It was the coldest day of the year in 2014, with wind chill readings of -40s and -60s throughout Minnesota. When asked by the interviewer “What is one of your main concerns?” our customer replied, “Is that my pipes would freeze. And I don’t want that because that’s a problem. Especially in an old house like this; it’s 1905, very old. It has very old piping.”.
Here is a list of things you can do to minimize the risk of a furnace breakdown:
1 – Make sure you have a clean furnace filter
Inspect your filters at the beginning of the heating season and monthly during the season. Clean or replace them if there is significant dust build-up. Having a clean filter can help lower your energy bills by up to 15 percent. The standard 1-inch furnace filter should be changed every two to three months or when dirty. Changing filters can also help to keep up the air quality in your home. Keep a list of when the filter was changed near the heater to help remind you when to change it. Some homeowners will find a sheet metal pocket in the lower plenum on top of the furnace with manuals, instructions, and warranty information; this is also a good place to put your filter schedule.
You can buy your furnace filters and humidifier pads online, and get them delivered to your door. Go to our Order Filters page, or give us a call if you are unsure which one you should buy.
2 – Make sure there is no ice or snow formation around the PVC pipes
High-efficient furnaces vent through PVC piping, and the pipes need to be snow-free for the equipment to function properly.
3 – Make sure you have a functioning Carbon Monoxide detector
Carbon monoxide is an odorless, tasteless, invisible gas that is always present in low levels in the air. It is formed from incomplete combustion from any flame-fueled device, including, furnaces, space heaters, and water heaters. Low levels of carbon monoxide poisoning cause symptoms similar to those of the flu or a cold, including shortness of breath, mild headaches, and nausea. Higher levels of poisoning could cause severe health damage, even death.
Because carbon monoxide is slightly lighter than air and also because it may be found in warm, rising air, detectors should be placed on a wall about 5 feet above the floor. The detector may be placed on the ceiling. Each floor needs a separate detector. Also, be aware that the average life span of many carbon monoxide detectors is about 2 years.