Prepping Your Home for Cool Weather in Eagle, Idaho
Kel & Company August 24, 2021
Kel & Company August 24, 2021
It's still hot right now, but fall is right around the corner! If you want to make sure that your home is ready for cool weather in Eagle, Idaho, then now is the time to make sure your furnace is in good working order.
Here are 8 things that you can do yourself to make sure your furnace is ready for the colder months.
One simple test you can do to check on your home's furnace is to switch your thermostat from cooling to heating and set the temperature just a few degrees above the room's current temperature. Then listen for the furnace to kick on.
If you don't hear it turn on within a minute or so, you can make sure the wire connections are secure. If the connections are secure, then make sure the power to the HVAC system is turned on. If it still doesn't turn on, then you can call a professional to come out and take a look at your furnace to see if it's the furnace fan, blower, or heat pump.
Make sure you are changing the HVAC air filters every 3 months. Or, if you have a permanent electrostatic filter, make sure to wash it and put it back in place.
Changing, replacing, or cleaning your filters regularly helps to keep particles out of your HVAC system and can prolong its life.
If your furnace also includes a humidifier, then make sure to change the humidifier filter and set the humidistat.
Unless your HVAC is a heat pump, cover the condenser to protect it from falling icicles. Heat pumps run all year long, so make sure to leave the AC condenser uncovered if you have this kind of HVAC system.
You could buy a cover designed specifically for an AC condenser, or you could use a large trash can lid secured with bungee cords. You could also use a board to cover the fan, but make sure not to wrap it in a moisture-trapping plastic tarp if you choose to go this route.
The heat exchanger should be brushed and vacuumed out each year.
You can either hire a professional to do this or follow the instructions in this video.
Check your furnace's owner’s manual to see if your motor is the kind that needs lubricating. Not every furnace needs this.
If it does require this step of maintenance, turn off the power, open the cover, and clean the caps covering the bearings. Then remove the caps and lubricate the bearings, as well.
On an old furnace, you may have to relight the pilot manually.
Newer furnaces, however, have electronic ignitors that turn on automatically.
If the ignitor isn’t working, push the reset button, and if that doesn’t do the trick, check your breaker.
Still not working? Time to call a professional.
Getting your chimney inspected each year is an important part of getting your home ready for cool weather in Eagle, Idaho.
Chimneys can house carbon buildup or even small animals. A professional should inspect them periodically to ensure you don't have a critter problem, to make sure there isn't any buildup that could obstruct smoke from leaving your chimney, and to make sure there isn't any damage that could result in a house fire.
Carbon monoxide detectors protect you from the “silent killer", so make sure you are inspecting and replacing these regularly as well.
Unlike gas-fired systems, oil units require oil filter changes, burner nozzle cleaning, and a pretty thorough heat-exchanger brushing to keep them running efficiently. This is because oil doesn’t burn as cleanly as gas does.
If you want more tips on taking care of your home, real estate in Eagle, Idaho, or the Eagle, Idaho lifestyle, stay tuned in right here to the #KelleySimonSays Blog!
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