How and Why to Vacuum the Furnace

Salvage money and increase your heating organization's efficiency and condolement by following these elementary steps to go on your furnace in tip-top condition.

Introduction

Together, these tasks will take yous less than three hours to do, cost only a few dollars, and require a few basic hand tools. That's pretty cheap insurance for a worry-gratis winter of cozy, cost-constructive warmth.

Winter'southward tough enough without your furnace dying or not putting out enough oestrus. And when it comes to furnaces, an ounce of prevention truly is worth a pound of cure.

So here are some basic maintenance tasks that you can do to ensure that your natural gas or propane-fueled furnace stays running in peak condition all wintertime.

Watch this video to see 6 tips for furnace troubleshooting:

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Project footstep-by-footstep (13)

Step i

Remove the Combustion Bedroom Door

power

DIY maintenance will save yous from needing a new furnace. To fix your furnace, beginning flip the electric power furnace switch to "Off." Remove the combustion sleeping room door by lifting up and pulling it out, and remove the burner cover (if you lot take one). It's unremarkably held in place past ii screws.

Stride 2

Inspect the Burner Flames

Flames

Plow the power switch on and activate the burners by turning up your thermostat. Inspect the burner flames. The flames should be fairly even and bluish.

Yellow flames indicate dirty burners. (Don't breathe on the flames because the extra oxygen will also make them turn yellow.) Don't adjust the burners yourself. Call in a pro.

Step 3

Vacuum Out the Burner and Blower Cavities

Vacuum

Plow off the power switch again and shut off the gas by giving the valve one-quarter turn. Vacuum the furnace burners and the furnace base. To go at the back of the burners, tape a 20-in. length of i/2-in. bleed line to your vacuum hose.

Vacuum everywhere y'all meet grit. While everything is open, use a flashlight to look for signs of soot (fine black powder), which often indicates poor combustion. Lift off the lower door (blower door) and vacuum the blower compartment.

Pace 4

Remove the Blower to Clean It

bolts

Remove the blower (also called a squirrel cage) in order to clean information technology. If you lot have a control panel in front of the blower, two screws will loosen information technology and you can permit it hang. Adjacent, using a 7/16-in. socket and ratchet, remove the two bolts that hold the blower in place, so gently lift it out.

Step 5

Vacuum and Brush the Blower Blades

Clean

Make clean the blower blades thoroughly with a vacuum and minor brush. Take care not to stress the wiring or disturb the counterweights that volition be on the fan blades. If you can't make clean the blower thoroughly, don't clean information technology at all; you could throw it off balance.

Pace 6

Change the Furnace Filter

filters

Change the furnace filter every one to 3 months. A $ane fiberglass filter will adequately protect the blower and blower motor. If you desire to install a more than expensive, high-efficiency filter, check the possessor's manual for the manufacturer recommendations.

High-efficiency filters can restrict the airflow, strain the blower motor and brand your furnace less efficient. If you want cleaner air, the all-time option is a separate air-cleaning system.

Footstep 7

Blow Dust Off the Pilot

straw

Blow grit off the pilot. Direct air to the exact spot past blowing through a drinking straw. A dingy pilot can cause the flame sensor (or thermocouple) to go a false reading that the pilot isn't lit. Some newer furnaces have hot surface igniters instead of pilots and electronic igniters.

Pace 8

Clean the Flame Sensor

cloth

The flame sensor occasionally becomes coated with residuum and will prevent your furnace from lighting. Remove information technology by pulling information technology downwards out of its bracket. Lightly clean the surface with fine emery cloth and sideslip the sensor back into its bracket.

Stride 9

Grit the Hot Surface Igniter Without Touching Information technology

igniter

Hot surface igniters are the about common ignition arrangement on furnaces being manufactured today. They take the place of continuing pilot lights and electronic igniters. Clean the grit off the hot surface igniter by leaving the igniter in place and blowing air through a harbinger.

This part breaks very easily; don't even touch on it. In fact, when you supercede the furnace doors, do then gently to avoid breaking the igniter.

Step 10

Inspect the Drive Belt

Inspect

To repair your heating, the belts on belt-driven blowers need occasional aligning or replacement. Inspect the drive belt for cracks or frayed areas. When y'all install the new belt, tension it so it deflects i/2 to 3/four in.

Step 11

Lubricate Bearings if Necessary

lubricate

Some older furnaces have two motor bearings and two blower shaft bearings that crave annual oiling. Make clean around the oil caps and remove the caps. Apply two to three drops of lightweight machine oil and supersede the caps. Don't over-lubricate!

Stride 12

Accommodate Dampers If Necessary

Adjust

If your furnace heating ducts also serve equally air-conditioning ducts, they may have dampers that require adjusting for seasonal changes. The seasonal settings should be marked. Two-story homes often take split supply trunks to serve the upstairs and downstairs.

To send more warm air downstairs (winter setting) or more cold air upstairs (summer setting), suit the damper handle on each supply body.

Step xiii

Seal Leaky Air Ducts

tape

Seal leaky ducts, peculiarly return air ducts, with special metal tape or high temperature silicone. Then conduct a backdrafting test to make sure the combustion gases go up the flue: Adapt the thermostat so the burners come on. Hold a smoking stick of incense beside the draft hood. The smoke should exist drawn into the hood.

Also audit the exhaust vent pipes on your furnace and water heater (while they're absurd). White powdery remainder tin indicate corrosion. Call in a pro to fix these problems. If you lot're looking for the all-time furnace to purchase, energy efficient brands might be the best bet.

Originally Published: Dec 04, 2020