Last winter we posted some steps to take to make sure your home’s natural gas furnace runs as safely as possible over the cold months. We’d like to run through a quick reminder of these steps before we talk a bit more about furnaces, safety, and you:
- Professionally maintain the furnace: We can never stress this too much. If you haven’t yet arranged for annual maintenance through our HomeSaver’s Club, contact us right away. This inspection and tune-up is vital for a safe furnace.
- Clear the area around the furnace: Don’t have anything combustible near the furnace.
- Set up CO detectors: An essential early-warning system if toxic gases start escaping from a damaged furnace.
- Stay on top of repairs: Never hesitate to contact us for furnace repairs if something seems wrong.
More Furnace Safety Talk
Whenever we bring up tips for gas furnace safety, we want to reassure homeowners that a furnace is not an automatically dangerous appliance. Modern furnaces are manufactured to high safety standards, and they include many precautions to prevent problems such as carbon monoxide leaks and combustion hazards. For example, the furnace limit switch will shut the system off if the temperature inside rises too high. If you purchase a furnace with the ENERGY STAR label, you’ll know you have a heating system that meets rigorous safety qualifications. (ENERGY STAR is about more than energy efficiency!)
However, if there’s even a small chance of a furnace turning into a potential household hazard, it’s something that we have to bring to your attention. Following furnace safety steps, in particular the annual inspection and tune-up, can reduce the chance of the furnace becoming dangerous to almost nothing. Take care of your natural gas furnace, and it will take care of you.
While We’ve Got You Here… Check Your CO Detectors
If you already have carbon monoxide detectors in place, we recommend you test each of them to see if they’re working or if they need fresh batteries. Most CO detectors purchased from stores are free-standing units the require batteries to run, and it’s important to test the battery power each year around this time. Test each unit by pressing the TEST button until you hear a beep indicating everything is good. Change the batteries right away if the detector is non-responsive. If the detector still doesn’t work, get a new one.
Don’t Forget the Regular Air Filter Change
Changing the air filter for your HVAC system regularly throughout the year is essential for keeping the furnace and the air conditioner running efficiently. But during the winter, a clean air filter is helpful for keeping the furnace operating safely. A clogged filter can lead to the furnace overheating. We’ve written a basic tutorial for changing the HVAC filter: keep it up all year, every 1–3 months.
We’re Always Here to Help!
If you need any assistance with your furnace in Fort Wayne, IN or the surrounding areas, you can always trust to us. In addition to our services for installations, scheduled repairs, and maintenance, we have 24/7 emergency service available so you won’t have to worry about when your furnace decides to stop working.
Collier’s Heating & Air Conditioning has served Northeastern Indiana for more than 30 years. A company you’ve grown to trust!
