Regular furnace service or Check & Clean is vital to the long life of your furnace. Many older furnaces are vented into the chimney flu. Along with caring for the inside workings of your furnace, the flu must be checked and cleaned as well. Check out our blog post titled “Older Homes In York PA? Check Your Chimney Annually For Debris Build Up”
Newer furnaces are vented through the sidewall of your hour with PVC plastic. However, the furnace has an internal secondary gas exchanger which is not accessible without taking the furnace completely apart. If the gas is not firing correctly and there is too much carbon in the furnace, everything gets covered with soot which jams up the secondary heat exchanger and causes the furnace to shut down, which is bad.
Furnace service requires specialized equipment and specific knowledge of the internal structure of the furnace and should not be attempted by a homeowner without training.
So What Goes Into Servicing Older Furnaces?
- Check and oil bearings on the motors
- Check and replace worn belts
- Check the chimney flu, especially if there is no flu liner
- Take the top off the furnace and run cleaning brushes through the heat exchangers
What About Servicing Newer Furnaces?
- Check CO2 levels and make sure gas is firing correctly
- Ensure all vents and draft inducer motors are open and clear
- Check the blower motor
So what CAN the homeowner do?
The most important part of furnace maintenance – check your furnace filter monthly!
Don’t cheat on the furnace filter.
That $2-3 filter will save your heat exchanger from cycling and you needing a possible new furnace. Change them in the summer and winter. Also, make sure vents stay clear by putting wires or screens over them to keep the vents clear of pests like nesting bees and stink bugs. If that works and doesn’t impinge drafting, you can leave them on year-round.
Need Furnace Service?
When your furnace needs serviced you can trust Wilbur Henry Plumbing, Heating and AC to do the job right and charge a fair price. Give us a call at 717-755-5461 or use our contact form.
