You rely on your furnace to keep your home or business warm during Calgary’s long, cold winters. To ensure it’s always up to the task, you need to perform regular upkeep at the beginning and end of the season. It’s also important to book an annual maintenance service call with a professional. Here’s a checklist you can follow to make sure it all gets done.
Tasks to complete twice a year
There are several furnace maintenance tasks you can easily do on your own in the fall and spring to keep your home safe and warm all winter. This checklist should include:
Inspect the ignitor and pilot light. Make sure the furnace ignition control is clean.
Additionally, the pilot light should have a constant flame.
Inspect and lubricate moving parts. By ensuring that all the moving parts in your furnace can operate smoothly, you’ll improve the unit’s efficiency and help extend its lifespan.
Recalibrate the thermostat. This will ensure your furnace doesn’t have to work overtime. To check whether your thermostat is properly calibrated, tape an accurate thermometer beside it and wait 15 minutes. The readings on both devices should be the same.
Clean or replace the air filters. Dirty air filters can affect the indoor air quality of your home or business. They can also eventually damage the furnace.
Finally, remember to test your carbon monoxide detectors a few times a year to ensure you’ll be notified if there’s a leak from your furnace.
Professional furnace maintenance tasks
In addition to twice a year, it’s important to have your furnace inspected and maintained by a professional annually. During this service call, a qualified technician will:
Test the safety features. All modern furnaces have built-in safety features. These must be checked and tested at least once a year to ensure they work.
Clean the chimney and vents. A technician will use specialized equipment to remove debris from your chimney and vents. They’ll also check for signs of broken air duct seals or damage.
Update the maintenance records. Professionals keep a detailed log of their inspections and repairs, and you’ll be provided with a complete list of the work for future reference. During this service call, a technician can also repair or replace parts as needed to help prevent major malfunctions in the future.
Schedule a furnace inspection today
Harmony Heating & Air Conditioning offers comprehensive furnace maintenance and repair services for residential and commercial properties in the Calgary area. Contact us today, and take one more thing off your to-do checklist.