Fall Heater Best Practices for 2021

It’s probably been about six months since you’ve thought about your home’s heater, but with autumn setting in, now is the time to make sure your furnace is in proper working order. Checking and maintaining your furnace can ensure that it works well when you need it the most.

Some heater maintenance tricks might seem obvious to you, while others might be things you haven’t considered. This article will cover some fall heater tips that you can use to make your heater run efficiently this fall and winter.

Replace your filters

For your furnace filters to adequately do their job, they must be clean. You should be changing your HVAC filters every one to three months or as directed by the manufacturer. Changing your furnace filter can not only prolong your heater’s lifespan, but it can also ensure that your family is breathing in clean air as well.

Clean your vents

Before the leaves begin to fall, you should go around to your home’s vents and make sure they’re unobstructed. Once you’ve done that, you can remove the grate or register from the vents and use a vacuum on them to remove any dirt, dust or debris. This should not only improve your air quality but make your furnace run more efficiently too.

Test your thermostat

If you have an older thermostat, it might not be as accurate as you’d like it to be. You might have been able to get through the summer with an imprecise thermostat, but the winter could be a whole other story.

Check your thermostat, and test it to see if it’s correctly monitoring and adjusting the temperature in your home. A properly-working thermostat is key to a furnace’s efficiency, and if yours isn’t working anymore, you can invest in a newer, better model.

Install a carbon monoxide detector

Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless and tasteless gas that is toxic to human beings. It prevents your blood from carrying oxygen sufficiently and can lead to serious injury and even death.

Several electrical appliances, like stoves, furnaces and generators, can generate carbon monoxide and leak them into your home, but with a carbon monoxide detector, you’re alerted to the gas’s presence and can get out of your living space before it’s too late. Be sure to place your carbon monoxide detector at least 15 feet from any HVAC ducts, as putting it any closer could result in false alarms.

Schedule an inspection

While there are steps you can take yourself to make sure your heater is working before the frost sets in, there’s no substitute for an expert. Getting a tune-up for your furnace is a must for any homeowner, as professionals can catch small problems before they become larger ones. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) even recommends that you have your furnace inspected every year, and right before winter is an ideal time.

Call for your heater’s tune-up today

Hopefully, these fall heater tips and heater maintenance tricks can prove useful to you in some way, but if you want the expertise of a professional, call us at Ashley Brothers Heating & Cooling. We have over 15 years of experience in the HVAC industry, and we’re available 24/7 for HVAC repairs whenever you need assistance.