Your furnace gets quite a workout in Broken Arrow during the winter, so it pays to schedule annual preventative maintenance to ensure it works reliably through the worst of winter. Here's what winterizing your HVAC system, particularly your furnace, should look like:
Air Conditioner
Before you schedule preventative maintenance, you should square things away with the air conditioner. First, clean up around the outdoor condenser, removing leaves, weeds and other debris. Trim overhanging limbs and shrubs away so that nothing falls on the unit during a storm.If you're concerned about freezing rain dripping inside the unit -- moisture that freezes, melts and refreezes can cause damage -- then place a square of plywood over the top and secure it to the ground. You can cover the unit up with a commercial cover, but be aware that sometimes covers provide a cozy habitat for rodents and other creatures through the winter.
Change the Air Filter
The change of seasons is a good time to change the air filter. Starting the heating season with a clean filter will help ensure that the inner workings of the system are free of dust so that the furnace runs more efficiently.Follow manufacturer's instructions to change the filter. If you don't know where your filter is located, ask your HVAC technician to show you, and to show you how to change it.
Preventative Maintenance
When you schedule your preventative maintenance on your HVAC system you can expect the technician to perform a number of tasks. Among them are these:
Check thermostat to ensure the system attains the right temperature set points.
Inspect and tighten electrical connections.
Lubricate moving parts to reduce friction, which decreases efficiency.
Test controls. Make sure they are operating properly.
Inspect condensate drain. This drain can get stopped up over time, resulting in flooding.
Inspect furnace parts, including gas connections, burners and heat exchanger. A crack in a heat exchanger can cause unsafe operation, including the leaking of carbon monoxide.
For more on winterizing your HVAC system, contact Air Assurance. We serve Broken Arrow and the surrounding area.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about winterizing and other HVAC topics, call us at 918-217-8273. Credit/Copyright Attribution: “kmicican/Pixabay”