There are plenty of preparation methods that you must adhere to when facing the seasonal shift of summer to winter. Since the edge of summer is ahead, and winter is slowly taking charge, staying on top of your furnace is crucial before the temperature drops to drastic levels.
Check Blower Motor
The furnace blower motor is responsible for the functioning of the fan, which in turn generates the air movement for the furnace. When the furnace’s heating component warms up the heat exchanger to the temperature that you set, the blower motor will continue to blow it across the heat exchanger. This helps increase the temperature of the internal air and distributes it evenly across all rooms.
Most furnace blowers are also responsible for providing air to the air conditioning system along with the furnace. The blower motor consists of many functional components. As a result, all working parts are prone to breakages and damages.
The best indicator for a dysfunctional motor is the sound of the blower motor. A furnace blower is supposed to function silently if all the working components are in optimum condition. If you notice that it is making a scraping or a grinding sound, you may have to call a trained technician to look at the problem.
Change Filter
A dirty furnace filter is a serious problem for your furnace. You have to make sure that you change your furnace filters. Filters will help purify the air that is entering your home through the heated vents. Dirty filters that have an over-accumulation of dirt result in blocking the airflow exiting the furnace.
This, in turn, results in making the furnace work much harder to provide heat and utilize much more energy. Therefore, having a dirty filter will impact the HVAC system’s cost-effectiveness and have you pay more than you should for your utility bills. When replacing the filter for a new one, make sure that you replace it with an accordion-style filter with a net on one side and no net on the other.
Other than that, you can find different styles on the filter as well. Many times you will also notice that the filters will have an arrow sign on them. This arrow points to where the airflow is supposed to go. In other words, the arrow is supposed to blow towards the blower motor of your furnace.
Many times the furnace filter will be on one side of the furnace, and other times the filter will be inside the furnace. As for how frequently you may need to change the filter, it depends on how consistently you work your HVAC system. If you barely use your air conditioner or furnace, then the filter can last a long time and even stretch its lifespan to more than three months.
How to Tell if Your Filter Needs Replacement?
If you pull out your air filter and it shows incredible coloration and changes its light color to a darker shade, then you can tell that your furnace needs replacement. A general rule of thumb to check a filter involves trying to pass light through it and see if it passes.
