Maintenance Tips

Keeping your heating and cooling systems in good working order means your utility bills will be lower, your home will be more comfortable, and you’ll need to call for repairs less often.

Heating

These tips can help you keep your furnace operating safely and efficiently!

Clean or replace the filter

A clogged filter restricts the flow of heated air from your furnace. The result is your furnace works harder but delivers less heat where it's needed.

Make sure blower doors are replaced properly

This keeps combustion byproducts separate from the warm air circulated through your home.

Check to see that vents in the house are unobstructed

The easier it is for warm air to blow into your home the less time your furnace operates.

Check to see that return–air vents are unobstructed. Warm air in your home is sucked through these vents past the furnace's heat exchanger and circulated back into your home. Your furnace works less when it can circulate air freely

Check to see that the exhaust flue to the outside is clear of obstructions and in good condition from the furnace to the roof cap with all connections securely fastened.

You can check it by removing the flue cap near the furnace and water heater and looking through the flue to the outside. Make sure that you replace the flue cap securely.

Remove all flammable objects from around your furnace and water heater. Boxes, clothes, paints, aerosols, gasoline, motorized yard tools, and any other flammable products should not be stored near the furnace and wafer heater.

If the furnace and water heater are in an enclosed room or closet, make sure they get plenty of air. These appliances need 10 cubic feet of air for one cubic foot of natural gas to operate properly. Furnace rooms or closets should have door louvers or vents or a duct directly to the outside to provide sufficient combustion air.

Cooling

These tips can help you keep your air conditioner operating safely and efficiently

Clean or replace the filter

A clogged filter restricts the flow of cooled air from your furnace. The result is your furnace works harder but delivers less cool air where it's needed. It can also cause the coil above your furnace to get so cold the condensing water will freeze, further restricting air flow and causing even more ice until you have no cooling at all.

Make sure blower doors are replaced properly

Newer furnaces have a blower door safety switch and will not operate at all if the blower door is not properly in place.

Check to see that vents in the house are unobstructed

The easier it is for cool air to blow into your home the less time your air conditioner operates.

Check to see that return–air vents are unobstructed

Warm air in your home is sucked through these vents past the evaporation coil above the furnace and circulated back into your home. Your air conditioner works less when it can circulate air freely.

Remove all flammable objects from around your furnace and water heater

Boxes, clothes, paints, aerosols, gasoline, motorized yard tools, and any other flammable products should not be stored near the furnace and water heater.

Keep plants and other debris away from the condensing unit, which is located outdoors

In order to operate efficiently, air must be able to pass freely through the unit. You should maintain an unobstructed space of at least 6 to 18 inches on all sides of the condenser where the air enters, and 4 feet from the area where the air exits.

Keep pets from chewing on the electrical connections to your condenser

This cannot only prevent your air conditioner from operating, it can be dangerous to the pet.

If you have any questions about your air conditioner, or it does not seem to be operating properly, call us. We will be glad to help you be comfortable again.

Electronic Air Cleaners

Remove and clean the cells

You can place the cells in your dishwasher or let them soak in a bathtub with hot soapy water. Make certain they are completely dry before putting them back in the unit.

Humidifiers

Change your pad annually

If you notice hard water deposits around your water valve, a little warm water and vinegar will clean it property.

Filters

Replace your heating and cooling air filters every three months that they’re in use

Operating your system with old, dirty filters means energy is wasted and your system may even be damaged.