Keeping your home heating system maintained
As temperatures drop and the weather outside gets a little more frightful, your home should be warm. But ensuring the comfort of a well-heated home on those cold winter days, begins with keeping your heating equipment properly maintained. Here are some tips to keep you warm….
Staying on top of maintenance
Don’t wait until something breaks and your home heating system requires emergency repairs. By regularly maintaining your system, you can save money on repairs and prolong the life of your system. Annual maintenance will ensure that you don’t have any surprise problems.
Central heating system maintenance
A central heating system is a fine-tuned machine. All of the components need to work together to make sure that your heating is safe, warm, and cost-efficient. Here are some of the components that need to be inspected annually.
Filter inspection and replacement
In central heating systems, warm air moves through filters to keep the air clean. If these filters get clogged, dust, dirt and other contaminants can make their way into the air that circulates through your home. This contaminated air can be hazardous to your health. It should be dealt with immediately. Clogged filters will also cause your heating system to work harder and can lead to it breaking down.
Thermostat inspection and repair
The thermostat is one of the most important parts of a home heating system. A properly functioning thermostat will signal your system to produce the desired temperature. If your thermostat is malfunctioning, it can report the wrong temperature to your system, or signal it to produce the wrong temperature in your home. Changing the battery annually is a must.
Boiler and furnace inspection and repair
A boiler uses hot water or steam to heat your home. Boiler systems can run on natural gas, propane, electricity, oil or wood pellets. A furnace uses air rather than water. It can run on natural gas, propane, oil or electricity. Furnace heating can sometimes produce more dryness than boiler heating due to the blowing air.
These two types of systems require two different types of maintenance. Furnaces require an annual inspection. Air filters need to be replaced on a regular basis. Boilers require an annual inspection and tune-up. Remember to keep the area around your system clear and clean.
Ventilation and radiation
If you have a furnace, you have a heating ventilation system. If you have a boiler, you have a heating radiation system. They will both deliver consistent warmth if properly maintained. Over time, air trapped in your boiler, pipes or radiator can block the flow of heated water. When this happens, the system draws more fuel to compensate and reach the correct temperature and it can get expensive. If you have a furnace, clogged ventilation systems can cause a similar problem. Warm air gets trapped in the system, and more fuel has to be used to overcompensate.
Duct inspection and replacement
In furnace based central heating systems, air ducts deliver warm air throughout the house. If the insulation in your duct systems breaks down or tears, it can cause heat to release in places where it’s not supposed to be. Since the air isn’t heating your home like it should be, the system will again draw extra fuel to hit your desired temperature. Money leaking out of your wallet and into your walls.
Fuel line and fuel tank
Fuel lines, which transport fuel to the burner, must be tightly sealed to be safe and operate efficiently.
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