Is your furnace ready for fall/winter? As the evening and early morning temperatures keep dropping, it won’t be much longer until you are going to need to heat your home. Here are five things you need to do to make sure your furnace is ready for the heating season.

1. Change your filters: We’ve stressed this in numerous blog posts (you can read a few here and here). Most filters reside behind a vent grill in the wall or ceiling, or you may have a single filter in the HVAC system itself. These filters must stay clean to achieve maximum efficiency. If indoor air quality (link to air quality page) is a concern, now is a perfect time to consider installing a high-quality filtration system such as the Trane CleanEffects air filter.
2. Test your thermostat: On a cooler day, move your thermostat’s lever over to “heat” and set the temperature a little bit above the current room temperature. If you don’t hear an audible click within a minute or two, check your batteries and the wired connections to the thermostat.
3. Get an inspection and tune-up: Call a trusted, licensed HVAC professional to inspect, clean, and tune-up your furnace. A proper review will include testing the ignitor, lubricating the blower motor, cleaning and inspecting the heat exchanger, and testing all internal components. This thorough examination can catch any potential problems that could end up being a significant inconvenience on a cold winter’s night.
4. Change your batteries: Now is a great time to inspect and test your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors. While you’re at it, consider changing the batteries in every device.
5. Cover Your Outside AC Units: If your units are in an area that sees abundant snow, leaf, and twig accumulation, cover your units to prevent debris from getting trapped inside.

If you are unsure how to perform any of the tasks listed above, call an HVAC contractor before the weather gets too cold.

From Our Archives: