Here are some general guidelines for maintenance on various types of filters.
Annual furnace maintenance diy.
Heat pumps on the other hand work more like a central air conditioner than like a furnace so we won t deal with them here.
If you have scheduled furnace maintenance by your appointed technician you will do well to familiarize yourself with a checklist of the tasks that the heating professional will perform.
Do it yourself furnace maintenance will save a repair bill.
First take a look at your furnace.
Look look at the flames in the burner.
Clean around the oil caps and remove the caps.
Both types will have an interior unit evaporator and blower and an exterior unit condenser coil and compressor.
These instructions apply to a whole home air conditioning or heat pump unit.
A dirty filter will cause excessive strain on your furnace increase heating costs and reduce the life of your equipment.
However oil furnace combustion chambers are very different and should only be worked on by professionals.
Annual furnace maintenance is especially critical ahead of winter because this is when the furnace will be needed the most.
Whatever type of system you have don t wait until it breaks down to do diy furnace maintenance.
Make sure that your furnace filter has a cover over the slot ensuring an efficient return air system.
Tune up or maintenance completion time.
Not having a cover poses a safety issue.
A clean well adjusted heating system will save you money on fuel and prolong furnace life.
Diy or hire a pro.
The valve to turn off your gas line should be located near the gas meter.
1 to 2 hours per unit time needed for proper annual maintenance.
Take caution if you are performing any kind of gas furnace maintenance turn off the gas line.
Homeowner gas furnace maintenance gas furnace inspection checklist diy.
Apply two to three drops of lightweight machine oil and replace the caps.
The exact amount of time is determined by how dirty the furnace is it s age and how many items are on the maintenance checklist.
Your heating ventilating and air conditioning system hvac will consist of either a furnace and ac or a heat pump which both heats and cools.
There shouldn t be any black soot or combustion residue on or around it.
Next turn up the thermostat so your furnace comes on and check the flames in the burner.
Some older furnaces have two motor bearings and two blower shaft bearings that require annual oiling.
Annual servicing is cheap typically less than 100 especially when compared with the price of a new furnace.
They should be blue and steady not yellow or orange and.