A little maintenance goes a long way toward keeping your forced-air equipment working properly. Here are some suggestions about how you can keep your system in tiptop shape.
Start by cleaning or replacing the filter. With forced-air furnace systems, air returning to the furnace’s blower first passes through an air filter designed to catch dust and debris and help clean the air before it’s recycled to your home. A dirty filter can force your furnace to work harder and, hence, increase your energy consumption and cause parts to wear out faster. A clogged filter can completely stop your furnace from working. Change filters quarterly or sooner if they look dirty. Pleated fabric filters are a good, inexpensive choice for reducing dust and allergens.
Before the heating season, brush and vacuum the heat exchanger surfaces and clean the blower blades. You should also check your metal ductwork and seal any air leaks with several wraps of duct tape. You can either feel for leaks yourself with your furnace blowing or hire a professional to check for leaks that you cannot access. In general, it is good to have your entire system checked out by a pro about once a year. Call your utility or check its Web site—in many areas, the utility company will send a technician to your home to check minor furnace problems for free.
Here’s a basic maintenance list for the do-it-yourselfer:
1) Turn off the power to the unit.
2) Look for the door or panel that conceals the blower; sometimes this is marked “Filter.” Lift this door or panel off of its holding hooks, or unscrew its retaining screws to remove it.
3) Standard filters are mounted next to or under the blower motor. Slide the filter out along its tracks. Check to see whether it is a disposable filter or intended to be cleaned and replaced—this should be marked on the filter’s edge, along with directions for cleaning if applicable. If it’s a disposable filter, its size will likely be printed on the frame’s edge. Make a note of it.
4) Buy a replacement filter, and slide it back into place, noting that arrows stamped on the side indicate the direction of airflow; be sure you face these in the proper direction.
5) While you have the furnace open, it’s a good idea to vacuum out the area around the blower. If possible, slide out the fan unit, clean each fan blade with a toothbrush, and then vacuum with a brush attachment on a vacuum cleaner.
6) Look for oil ports on the motor, normally located near the motor shaft. Most contemporary motors don’t require lubrication, but motors with oil ports should be lubricated once a year. If the motor has oil ports, apply two or three drops of non-detergent motor oil into each port (you may have to remove a cover plate to do this).
7) Look for worn belts between the motor and pulleys. If you see any, they will need to be replaced. Call a professional to help you with this.
