Prevent a Furnace Disaster This Winter Season

When winter arrives, people in many parts of the country rely on their furnaces to keep them warm in their Chicago homes. However, when the furnace stops working correctly, things can change in a hurry.

Not only will the house get cold, but a service call to a technician will also be in order. This can result in a costly repair bill, and often it could have been avoided with some regular maintenance along the way.

To ensure the furnace works fine throughout the winter, here are some tips to follow to make it happen.

Listen to the Burner

Of all the parts of a furnace, the burner is perhaps the most important one. Therefore, it’s a good idea to turn on the furnace and listen to the burner and the fan for several minutes.

In older furnaces, the burner and fan will often sound like they are starting and stopping, which indicates problems such as dirt buildup in the burner and fans or parts that are in need of replacement.

If any unusual sounds are heard, a service technician will need to inspect the furnace and make any needed repairs. If the furnace is very old, the technician may recommend a new furnace be installed for safety purposes.

Carbon Monoxide Leaks

If a furnace develops cracks in it, there is the danger of carbon monoxide leaking out into the home. Since the gas is colorless, odorless, and tasteless, there is no way of knowing it is present until it’s too late.

To guard against this, a technician can check the furnace for leaks and make the necessary repairs. As an added precaution, they can install carbon monoxide detectors on or near the furnace to detect dangerous levels of the gas inside the home.

This is a smart thing for many Chicago homeowners to do, since standard smoke detectors are not equipped to pick up carbon monoxide levels.

Clean the Ductwork

For homes that have not had ductwork cleaned for years, it’s a good idea to have this done prior to winter. By having a technician clean out the dust and dirt that has built up over time, the heat from the furnace can flow efficiently without having to work its way through the dust and dirt.

Along with this, it also cuts down on the possibility of a fire starting in the ductwork because of debris inside the ductwork catching fire.

Don’t suffer from a furnace disaster in your Chicago, IL home this season. Call TDH Mechanical, Inc. at (773) 342-4338 and get assistance now.