How Should I Maintain My Heater This Fall?

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Basic furnace maintenance has a variety of benefits, including reducing your heating costs and preventing breakdowns. While you should leave some stuff to HVAC companies in St. Louis, MO, there are a few things that every homeowner can do to maintain their heating system. Continue reading to learn a few of the most important maintenance items:

  • Change the filter: The easiest part of furnace maintenance is also one of the most important! It’s crucial that you change or clean your furnace filter every month. Your filter blocks contaminants from entering the unit and prevents allergens and other junk from circulating in the air. Neglecting to swap out your filter makes your unit work harder to heat your home, thus raising your monthly energy bills. Take a few seconds to change your filter and save yourself big bucks throughout the winter.
  • Clean the unit: A clean and tidy furnace will run efficiently and is less likely to break down in the middle of the cold season. Though you should call a professional to do a deep clean, you can dust off the sides of the unit and clean the fan with a wet cloth. You’ll also want to make sure the area around your furnace is nice and tidy! Giving your furnace plenty of room to breathe drastically reduces the chance of a fire.
  • Check the pilot light: If you have a gas furnace, take a quick look at the pilot light. The flame should burn a steady blue color with a yellow tip. If the flame is yellow or orange, or if it’s flickering, call a professional right away. HVAC companies in St. Louis, MO can come out and check your pilot light to see what’s the matter.
  • Check for rust: As your furnace ages, its sides or top may start to rust. This isn’t good! Any rust or corrosion may be a sign of a carbon monoxide leak, and this issue needs to be addressed immediately. A professional might be able to repair a leaky unit, but it may need to be replaced with a newer model. Only an HVAC technician will know for sure.
  • Install carbon monoxide monitors: This one doesn’t pertain to your furnace, per se, but putting carbon monoxide detectors in your home is still a crucial part of winter preparedness. As mentioned above, malfunctioning gas furnaces may emit carbon monoxide. Since its a colorless and odorless gas—and a deadly one—the only way to detect carbon monoxide is by placing monitors throughout your home.
  • Call for a tune-up: All of the steps above will undoubtedly benefit your furnace, but to ensure your furnace works to the best of its ability for years to come, call a professional to inspect it and give it a tune-up. A routine maintenance call may take less than an hour to complete, but keeping up with them over time can add years to your unit’s lifespan.

Don’t choose just anyone to tune up your furnace this fall. Be sure to hire our team at Ashley Brothers Heating & Cooling to tackle the job. We’re available around the clock and offer some of the most competitive rates in the area, which is what makes us one of the top HVAC companies in St. Louis, MO. Contact us today to learn more about any of our services.