If you want to make sure your gas furnace can heat your home effectively throughout the winter, it’s important that you have it fully serviced, maintained and inspected before the cold weather arrives. Unfortunately, furnace maintenance isn’t a DIY job due to the complexity of many of the most important tasks. In truth, the only type of maintenance you can really do yourself is changing the furnace filter, which is something you should do at the start of the heating season and then again after two to three months. In this article, we’ll look at all of the other important maintenance tasks you should make sure to have done this fall and the effect they have on things like safety, heating performance and energy efficiency.
Inspect the Flue and Check That the Furnace Is Properly Vented
For a gas furnace to heat safely, the combustion fumes produced by its burners need to be vented directly outside through the exhaust flue. The reason is that there is always a risk that the burners can produce deadly carbon monoxide if there are any issues that prevent the gas flowing to the burners from fully combusting. Even if this happens, you still don’t need to worry about potentially being exposed to carbon monoxide as long as the furnace is properly ventilated and there are no cracks or holes in its heat exchanger.
When checking that a furnace is properly vented, a technician will always inspect the flue and make sure the draft inducer fan is drawing air upward so that the combustion fumes get sucked directly into the flue and then flow straight outside. They may also use a match or smoke pencil to check that the flue isn’t leaking.
Inspect the Heat Exchanger
The heat exchanger is what allows a gas furnace to heat safely as it ensures that the combustion fumes remain trapped and can’t mix with the hot air that gets circulated through the building’s ductwork. In some cases, cracks or holes can form in a heat exchanger that allow some of the combustion fumes to escape and potentially create a risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. A heat exchanger will most commonly end up cracking as a result of the furnace overheating, but cracks or holes can also result simply due to age and normal wear and tear. The potential risk of carbon monoxide poisoning is why you should always make sure to have a professional technician fully inspect your furnace’s heat exchanger every year so you can ensure it is safe to use.
Clean the Gas Ports on the Furnace Burners
Having the burners in your gas furnace cleaned every year is important for safety reasons, damage prevention and ensuring the furnace heats effectively. If the burners are dirty, it can create issues that prevent the gas from fully combusting and potentially lead to the furnace producing carbon monoxide. Incomplete combustion also causes the burners to not produce nearly as much heat, leading to decreased performance and longer heating times. Another issue is that you can end up with a slight delay in ignition when the burners are dirty, which can cause the gas to produce a small fireball when it ignites that can potentially damage various components in the furnace.
Clean and Test the Flame Sensor
The flame sensor is one of the most important safety features in a gas furnace, and its purpose is to ensure that gas can never continue flowing to the burners if they fail to light or ever go out. The way it works is that a small electrical charge flows through the sensor and reacts with the flames coming off the burners. If the furnace has an issue such as a failed electronic igniter that prevents the burners from lighting, the flame sensor will signal the internal gas valve to close within a few seconds of the valve opening. The same will also happen if the burners suddenly go out or if the flame sensor simply isn’t working properly and can’t detect the flames.
A flame sensor is directly exposed to extreme heat when the furnace is on, which often leads to it failing after only five years or so. That’s why you should have a technician test the sensor every year since they can normally determine when it’s starting to give out so that you can have it replaced before it fails. If you don’t take this step, there is a chance your furnace will suddenly quit working at some point during the winter. It’s also important to have the flame sensor cleaned since it often won’t work at all or only work intermittently if it is overly dirty.
Dependable Heating Services to Keep Your Home Cozy
Since 1952, Bash Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. has been providing reliable home comfort services in Champaign and the surrounding areas. We specialize in furnace maintenance and repairs, and you can count on us to ensure your furnace is ready for winter. We service all makes and models of furnaces as well as heat pumps and air conditioners, and we’re also the company to turn to for your HVAC installation and replacement needs. To schedule a fall furnace tune-up and make sure your furnace is properly maintained, contact us today.
