BASIC FURNACE MAINTENANCE
BASIC FURNACE MAINTENANCE IS NOT THAT DIFFICULT TO DO YOURSELF. YOU WILL ONLY NEED A FEW TOOLS AND THE POWER OF OBSERVATION.
Tools needed for basic furnace maintenance
- shop vacuum cleaner
- furnace brush or unused paint brush
- brass bristled cleaning brush or super fine steel wool
- clean rag
- 1/4 drive or socket and socket wrench
Step one- Replace your furnace filter.
For the type of furnace filter to use check out this blog: “Which type of home furnace filter should I use?” REMEMBER, the ARROW goes TOWARDS the furnace.
Step two- Clean the furnace cabinet.
Clean any visible dust, dirt, debris and/or lint from the surfaces inside and out. Cleaning the burners of any blockages is a must as well. The vacuum, brush and rag will be needed for this step.
Step three- Remove and clean the flame sensor.
The flame sensor is a small Q-tip sized probe that sits in the path of the flame. It is opposite of the hot surface ignitor. DO NOT TOUCH the Hot Surface Ignitor. On most furnaces you will need your 1/4″ drive or socket to remove the sensor. Once removed you will use your brass bristled brush or super fine steel wool to clean the sensors surface of oxidation.
Step four- Check operations
After you return the flame sensor to its original location you can set the thermostat to heat and check things out. Observation and common sense go along way here.
- We want the exhaust motor to activate first. If it sounds rough or noisy, you should note that and contact a professional.
- The hot surface ignitor should then activate. You will see a bright orange glow.
- The gas valve will then activate and the natural gas should light smoothly and evenly across all burners. The flame should be a clean blue.
- If there is any YELLOW (like a candle) or lazy flames (drifting in and out) PLEASE call a professional. This can be a sign that carbon monoxide is present and should be addressed immediately.
- After another moment the blower should activate distributing heat throughout your home.
Congratulations! You have performed a basic furnace maintenance.
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