When winter snow and cold weather comes to New York, you want to make sure your furnace is in excellent shape, or you could be left in the cold. Once you begin to use it heavily, it could fail or have problems, even when you start the season your furnace is in good shape. We at New York Air Conditioning, Heating & Plumbing would like to share some things you should do to ensure that your furnace or heating system runs smoothly throughout the winter in addition to common troubleshooting for heating problems.

How Can You Increase the Efficiency of a Heating System?

Performance Check Switches & Motor. Periodically turn on your furnace’s switches after periods of non-use to make sure your blower motors work properly. Be on the lookout for weird sounds and smells and contact a professional if you smell something burning or hear rattling or clunking. Do not use your furnace if you suspect that something is wrong with the motor.
Schedule Pre-Season Maintenance. Before winter starts, having a professional come out and do a thorough pre-season furnace and air duct tune-up is the best way to prevent or reduce the chance of total furnace failure. Along with your blower motors and switches, professional can check your pilot light if you have a gas furnace. At the same time, they can clean any filters and air duct.
Routinely Check Filters. Even if you just had your filters checked during pre-season maintenance, give them a check off and on throughout the winter season. With heavy use, pet hair and dust flowing through the system, filters can get clogged quickly. When the filters are clogged, uneven heating and restricted airflow that cause other issues usually occur.
Ensure Vent Airflow. Inspect the furnace registers and vents are not blocked by any furnishings, rugs, or other clutter. If too many registers are blocked or closed in your home, it could create pressure problems that could damage your heating system.
Replace Thermostat Battery. Instead of being directly wired into the system, thermostats likely operate on batteries, particularly programmable ones. When the battery is getting low normally, the smart thermostats generally alert you, but it is not standard. When the thermostats don’t work, your heater may not turn on at all. Fortunately, you can easily replace the battery and get the system back on. If you aren’t sure if your thermostat is battery-operated, you can ask a professional to assess the thermostat.
Know the Furnace Codes. Most modern thermostats have an indicator light that flashes a code whenever there is an issue. You count the number of flashes to find out the error code. This is a two-number code with one number flashing, then a pause, and the second number flashing, generally. In addition to your furnace’s brand name when you call for service, helpful information to give to the technician who can then diagnose and repair the unit quickly includes this code number.
Take Note the Furnace’s Age. If you have an older furnace, it is more likely to fail with heavy winter use. If your furnace is approaching the 20-year mark, consider replacing it before the next season. You may benefit from a mid-season checkup if that is at all possible to ensure that it is safe and will continue to produce adequate heat during the season.

Furnace Heating Maintenance, Repair, Replacement & More in Bedford Hills, Manhattan, Flushing, Queens, Brooklyn & The Bronx, New York

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