Heating your home with gas is a great way to keep your home warm and cozy no matter how low the temperature drops. While there are many other types of furnaces, the gas furnace remains one of the most popular heating sources for homes and businesses from coast to coast.
If you have a gas furnace, maintaining it properly can keep it running at peak efficiency, and that can lower your winter heating bills significantly. Even more importantly, a gas furnace that is clean and operating the way it should is safer, so you can feel good about turning up the heat on those cold winter nights.
The Right Way to Clean Your Gas Furnace
It does not matter whether your gas furnace is a brand new model or an older heating system that came with your home. There is a right way, and a wrong way, to clean your gas furnace. Using the techniques outlined below is the best way to make sure your gas furnace is clean, safe and ready to go.
You can start the cleaning process by pulling out each of the burners. It is not unusual for these burners to accumulate debris during normal use, and cleaning them now is the best way to keep them running at peak efficiency. Be sure to check the slots in each burner and remove any debris from the slots.
Brush the Debris Away
You can use a stiff-bristled brush to clean away any superficial rust and debris from the face of each burner. A blast of air or dry nitrogen can be used to blow out the burners and the vestibule area. Cleaning this area can make ignition easier and ensure efficient operation during the long heating season to come.
Check the Heat Exchanger
While you are in there, be sure to check the heat exchanger for signs of rust and other damage. Also check the metal flue for holes and rust, and make sure the flue is properly supported.
It is also important to check for gas leaks any time you clean your furnace. You can use an electronic leak detector to check the system, and this is the easiest way to do it. If you do not have an electronic leak detector, you can use the old-fashioned method and place soap bubbles along the length of the unit.
Also be sure that the filters are clean, as a dirty or clogged filter could sharply reduce the efficiency of your gas furnace. If you did not change the filters when you put your furnace to bed in the spring, you should probably switch them out now. Keep a fresh supply of filters around to make cleaning and maintenance easier.
Cleaning your furnace is an important part of home maintenance and something you should do on a regular basis. If you take good care of your furnace now, your furnace will take good care of you all winter long.
Call Vredevoogd Heating & Cooling for all your plumbing, heating, & cooling needs. In the greater West Michigan, Lakeshore, and surrounding areas call:Â 844-482-2365
