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As the winter gets bitter in Pennsylvania or New Jersey, the Furnace becomes the most essential appliance for every business. Once done with the commercial furnace installation, you need regular maintenance to keep this equipment working well.
This blog is all about the essential maintenance steps for a furnace before the winter season. All the guidelines are with respect to Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and are recommended by the certified experts at Lehigh HVAC.
Furnace maintenance encompasses all those steps that are carried out to prepare a furnace for an uninterrupted and efficient performance all winter long. This includes multiple courses of action, including but not limited to inspection, cleaning, and tune-ups of the system. The primary goal is to boost performance, prevent breakdowns, and increase the lifespan of the equipment. You must hire a professional and certified HVAC company for this purpose to minimize risks and accidental damage.
Being a busy homeowner, it is likely that you will forget about the performance of your furnace until it breaks down. Furnace maintenance is important as it ensures that you never face such a disastrous situation. With regular and professional maintenance, you’ll get heat when you want and never be frustrated due to unexpected failures.
Here are some of the primary benefits of furnace maintenance;
If you neglect timely maintenance, you might be pushed towards commercial furnace repair services more often.
Many of the business owners still think that HVAC maintenance is limited to cleaning the equipment or replacing air filters only. However, this is not the case. HVAC maintenance is a comprehensive procedure that involves multiple steps and needs a meticulous approach. Here is a comprehensive checklist that you can follow to keep furnace problems at bay.
It is no doubt the most essential and basic step of the HVAC servicing plan. As the heating appliance circulates air, numerous dirt, dust, and other particles are accumulated on the filters over time. These particles block the air flow. Ultimately, a furnace has to work harder to maintain warmth. To prevent this issue, make sure the air filters of your commercial heating appliance are replaced regularly.
Ideal Practice: Replace your air filters every 1-3 months, depending on the quality. The best practice is to keep inspecting filters regularly and replace them when they look dirty and clogged.
It is also the most important step taken to boost the performance and efficiency of the heating system. For DIY, you should clean the parts such as air filters (if they are reusable), registers, vents, etc. Make sure to keep the area around the furnace clean to prevent it from sucking in the floor dust. For professional cleaning by experts, make sure the internal parts, such as burners, flame sensors, blowers, etc, are well cleaned and functional.
Ideal Practice: Shut off the system, let the parts cool, and then clean each part carefully with a vacuum or a cleaning brush.
Before winter arrives, adjust the thermostat setting. Consider the winter schedule, peak cold days, maximum temperature fluctuations, and your heating needs while doing it. Match the reading of the thermostat according to the capacity of your heating appliance to prevent an undue burden.
Ideal Practice: The experts at Lehigh HVAC recommend using programmable thermostats. They can adjust the temperature automatically, helping you save big.
Cracks and holes can be present in the ductwork. Especially the older ductworks are more prone to having these kinds of issues. Get all those holes sealed perfectly before you start using your furnace. If not sealed, they can let warm air escape, keeping your space cold.
Ideal Practice: Hire professional experts who use modern technology to locate and seal such gaps in your air ducts.
The heat exchanger can develop cracks with time. It may be due to improper installation, thermal stress, or corrosion. Regardless of the cause, you must detect even the most minor cracks and get them sealed properly. If not done correctly, you are at risk of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning and several other serious problems.
Ideal Practice: Hire the professionals who use sophisticated and non-destructive evaluation (NDE) methods for crack detection. Additionally, install CO alarms on every floor as part of safety measures.
The list for furnace maintenance is huge. As we discussed earlier, every step taken for efficient performance is part of maintenance. Here are some additional steps in the pre-winter furnace maintenance checklist that you must ensure;
Furnace maintenance before winter is a very critical and essential step. Some basic tasks, like filter replacement and outer region cleaning, you can handle by yourself. For complete maintenance, hiring a professional company is the best choice. While the professionals work, you should carefully monitor and confirm that everything is done right.
If you belong anywhere from Pennsylvania or New Jersey, you can confidently hire Lehigh HVAC for furnace maintenance. With us, you will get a professional service and 0% financing options. Contact us at 484-961-7044 to discuss with an expert.
