Do you have a natural gas furnace to provide your home with warmth over the winters? Chances are good that you do, since gas furnaces are the most common type of residential heater in the country—and their powerful heating ability makes them especially popular in in places like Chicago that experience harsh winters.
Although a gas furnace is a great way to heat your house, it can present a number of safety hazards without proper care. These aren’t difficult or arduous steps, but they can make a big difference for your home:
- Schedule regular maintenance: A gas furnace needs an annual inspection and tune-up from an HVAC professional. This fall maintenance will catch any repairs the furnace needs before it starts its regular workload during the winter. You can arrange for these heating inspections with our Residential Maintenance Agreements, which also provides your AC with a tune-up each spring.
- Change the furnace filter: The furnace filter protects the interior of the heating system from damage due to dust and other debris entering through the return air vents. But the filter isn’t self-cleaning! Over time, it will clog up, and that will not only affect the furnace’s performance, it can also lead to safety hazards from overheating. Change the filter for a clean one before the winter starts, and then change it routinely (every 1 to 3 months) as long as the furnace works steadily.
- Keep the furnace cabinet clear: The area around the furnace, whether in the basement or a closet, shouldn’t have any objects stored within a foot of it. Take special care to see that no flammable or combustible materials (such as paint thinner) are near the heat of the furnace.
- Purchase CO detectors: Carbon monoxide build-up is the major safety worry with gas furnaces. CO detectors can relieve these concerns, since they give ample warnings of rises in carbon monoxide levels in a house so people can evacuate. Battery-powered CO detectors are available in most home supply stores.
Make sure that you call on HVAC experts as soon as you have any concerns about your furnace’s performance. Our furnace professionals will make sure that your heating system works safely through the winter.
Malek Heating & Cooling has served Chicagoland since 1998. Contact us when you’re looking for service for your gas furnace in Evanston, IL.