What Are the Signs of a Dirty Furnace Filter You Should Never Ignore?

An imperative aspect of any homeowner’s responsibilities when it comes to their furnace is changing out the filter on a regular basis. Furnace filters are installed to help remove impurities from the air before they reach the inside of the furnace. This helps to protect your heating system and keep your family breathing healthy, clean air. If you notice any of the problems below, then it’s time to change out your dirty furnace filter. Poor Indoor Air Quality As your furnace filter starts to fill up with debris over time, it’s going to make it much harder for air to be forced through it. As the air throughout your house becomes more stagnant due to the lack of circulation, you’re going to notice that the quality of your air significantly suffers. Those who deal with allergies are more likely to notice the problem since they’ll experience more flare-ups than usual. Decreased Airflow When your furnace filter becomes completely full of debris, there’s not going to be as much air flowing throughout your ducting. When you put your hand up against the vent in your room, you may notice that there’s not as much air coming out of it as you’re...

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What Can Cause a Furnace Pressure Switch to Fail?

The pressure switch in a gas furnace is an important safety mechanism that ensures the furnace is drafting correctly. If the furnace doesn’t draft properly, it leads to dangerous combustion fumes being trapped inside the combustion chamber and heat exchanger instead of being vented outside. This can cause carbon monoxide to leak into your home. The fumes can also cause a delay before the furnace ignites, producing a small explosion or starving the flames of oxygen so that they escape or “roll out” of the combustion chamber. The pressure switch on your furnace can fail due to various issues. The pressure switch itself can sometimes wear out and fail to activate, but more commonly, it will stop working due to some other problem with the furnace. If the pressure switch ever fails, it will prevent the furnace from being able to start. Let’s now take a closer look at how the pressure switch works and what can cause it to fail. How a Furnace Pressure Switch Works A pressure switch is like any other switch; it makes a connection to allow electricity to flow across it. The pressure switch is activated or closed by the furnace’s inducer fan, which then...

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How Much Oil Does a Furnace Use?

How Much Heating Oil Will My Furnace Use This Winter? As a homeowner, it’s necessary that you prepare your budget for the added costs of winter heating. Before you can figure out an estimate of how much it’s going to cost you to supply your furnace with fuel, you first need to know how much oil your furnace will burn over the entire winter season. There’s No Short Answer There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. How much oil your furnace uses will depend on a variety of factors related to you and your home. Two of the most weighed factors include the size of your home and how long you run your furnace. How Big Is Your Home? It’s not hard to understand that a one-bedroom home is going to take less oil to stay warm than a four-bedroom home. The larger your space is, the more oil your furnace is going to need to burn to stay warm. When determining how much oil you’ll need to buy, it can be helpful to look at the specific size of your oil tank. How Often Do You Run Your Furnace? How often your furnace stays running will play a big...

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8 Ways to Clean a Furnace or Heat Pump

If you’ve noticed low heating efficiency or a change in the sound of your furnace or heat pump, it may be time to clean it. Dirty furnaces and heat pumps require more energy to operate, which can lead to breakdowns. Below are eight tips on cleaning your furnace or heat pump and maintaining its efficiency. 1. Inspection Before Cleaning Before you can begin cleaning your furnace or heat pump, it’s essential to inspect it to determine if it needs any parts replaced. Your technician can perform a thorough inspection of your unit by checking its dust collector, air filters, and oil filter. Based on the results, the technician may recommend replacing any parts that have reached their lifetime limit or are dirty and inefficient. 2. Clean the Condenser The condenser is the part of your heat pump or furnace that transports heat from the house to the unit. First, it’s essential to clean around the outer sides of your casing, which is located in a room like the garage or basement. When this part of your unit is dirty, it can cause air leakage, resulting in lower efficiency and more energy use. If you need to clean the condenser in...

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