Major Parts Of Your Furnace That Need Professional Maintenance
Posted on: 5 April 2022
Share
Furnace maintenance is important because it helps your furnace work efficiently and have a longer life. Maintenance also reduces the risk of a breakdown when you need to rely on your heat to stay comfortable. Your warranty may require that you have a professional perform annual maintenance on your furnace.
While you might feel you can take care of your furnace yourself, it's always good to let a professional provide care since a gas furnace could be dangerous if not maintained properly. Here's a look at the major components of a furnace that need regular maintenance.
The Blower
The blower is an important part of your furnace since it blows heated air through the ducts. Without a working blower, warm air would just stay in your furnace and your house would get cold. One of the most important parts of blower maintenance is to clean the blower blades.
These get clogged with dust and that makes them hard to turn, which can cause the motor to overheat. The furnace maintenance technician can scrub the blower to get it clean so the dust won't cause a breakdown later in the season.
The Heat Exchanger
The heat exchanger in your furnace is where the air that's heated by the burners goes before heading to the flue. The heated air passes the heat to the air that circulates in your home so the air you breathe is free from toxic byproducts. The exchanger is in the combustion area of your furnace, so it can collect soot and dust. Your furnace maintenance technician may carefully clean the exchanger during a maintenance call.
One reason this is important is that the byproducts of combustion are acidic and the acid might cause pitting or leaks in the heat exchanger. If the heat exchanger is cracked or develops a hole, carbon monoxide might leak out. So in addition to cleaning, the exchanger should be checked for signs of damage to ensure it isn't leaking.
The Combustion Area
The combustion area of your furnace can become one of the dirtiest parts if it isn't cleaned thoroughly by a furnace maintenance technician. That's because soot might build up there. The technician may need to pull parts out of the furnace and scrub them to get the soot off. The inside of the furnace may need to be vacuumed as well. If these parts aren't kept clean, your furnace may not ignite or other malfunctions might occur due to the accumulation of soot.
Besides these main furnace parts, your furnace maintenance technician may also check your thermostat, the ducts, and your registers to make sure they are all working properly too. Once your furnace has been serviced by a professional, you can feel confident the equipment is good to go for another season of heating.