In spite of the fact that it spends its life in the dank, lonely basement a furnace is a precision appliance that requires regular maintenance in order to avoid breaking down. Unfortunately because it is tucked away in the basement it all too often falls into the “Out of sight, out of mind” category along with the boxes of old clothes and the old TV in the attic. But unlike things that have outlived their usefulness the furnace is the heart and lungs of your house and should be treated with respect.
Things That Will Lead to Furnace Repair
Most people don’t mean to neglect their furnace it just happens because, as we said, the furnace lives in the basement and as such is easily forgotten; until it breaks down. There are a few things you can do to avoid breakdowns and costly furnace repair however, and here are some of them:
- Open your air vents – Furnaces need to breath. In fact it’s their job. They breathe in cool air and breathe out hot air. If this process is disrupted because you’ve closed half the registers in the house to save money it can easily lead to your furnace breaking down. The blower motor is what keeps air coming and going and when either intake or outflow is blocked it makes it difficult for this key component of the furnace to do its job.
- Change the filter – Again, the ability of the furnace to breathe is essential to its operation. Just as closed registers can suffocate your furnace so can an air filter that’s hardly ever changed and is clogged with dirt and debris. Restricted airflow can cause the heat exchanger to overheat and crack. This is the last thing you want because a cracked heat exchanger can cause deadly carbon monoxide gas to leak into your home endangering everyone.
- Use a filter – Some folks don’t change their dirty filter and some go to the other extreme and don’t bother using a filter. They believe filters to be a waste of money but they are mistaken. When allowed to enter the furnace dust, dirt and debris can accumulate in the blower and can cause it to grind to a halt. These pollutants can also accumulate on sensors and cause them to malfunction, which could wind up costing a bundle in wasted gas and furnace repair.
- Schedule annual maintenance – The number of things that can prompt a furnace repair call are many. However it’s possible to prevent nearly all of them by simply scheduling annual furnace maintenance. Doing so will allow the technician to keep your furnace running at its energy efficient best and to spot small problems with the pump, drain lines, electrical connections, condenser coils, igniter and more before they develop into big problems.
Of all the many things related to the smooth operation of your Toronto home taking care of the furnace is actually one of the easiest. A few common sense adjustments like opening more registers and changing your filter regularly can prevent the need for furnace repair. At the same time though don’t forget to have a qualified HVAC tech in once a year to look things over carefully.
Don’t gamble with the wellbeing of your house and family, invest in annual furnace maintenance to stave off potential problems and keep your home cozy and trouble free for everyone. Toronto Heating and Air Conditioning Company maintain more residential furnaces in the GTA than any other company because our customers know the value of our preventive maintenance work. Call us today to find out more or to schedule annual maintenance for your furnace.