How do I prepare my furnace for winter?

Preparing your furnace for the colder weather of Cincinnati takes effort from both yourself as a homeowner and a local HVAC company.

How You Can Get Your Furnace Ready For Winter

  • Check and change your furnace filters. It’s suggested that you change your filters every three months. Starting the heating season with a new filter will ensure your home starts to warm up at maximum efficiency. If you can, stock up on filters so that you won’t forget to change them!
  • Clear the area around your furnace. It’s easy to let suitcases, unsorted boxes, and other seasonal household items to pile up around your furnace. For your safety, clear this area—we recommend 3 feet around your furnace—from debris and anything that could catch fire or collect (flammable) dust.
  • Open ducts and vents. Racking up your energy bills on producing heat from your furnace is just a waste if the vents and ducts throughout your house are blocked or closed. Remove any obstructions so that warm air can circulate.
  • Check your carbon monoxide detectors. Carbon monoxide is a silent killer that is more prevalent once gas furnaces turn on in the winter. For you and your family’s safety, check that your detectors are working and will be able to warn you if there’s ever an issue. Installing a new furnace is another way to combat this hazard, as an HVAC pro can check that your heat exchanger isn’t cracked and releasing carbon monoxide.
  • Consider a whole–house humidifier. Turning on your heat will mean that the air will become dryer in your home. Improve your indoor air quality—including breathing easier and reducing static electricity—with a whole-house humidifier and control your home’s dry air problem.

Professional Furnace-Tune Up Before Winter

One of the best things you can do to ensure that your heating system is ready to run efficiently this winter is to have a professional HVAC company complete a furnace tune-up before the heating season starts.

A heating technician will check all parts of your furnace and ensure that they are in working order to keep your home warm efficiently. A typical inspection will include a calibration of the thermostat and lubrication of all motors. The HVAC experts will also check your system’s:

  • Air filtration system
  • Furnace blower
  • Fuses
  • All electrical connections
  • Indoor plenum temp
  • Furnace venting
  • Temperature rise
  • Inlet & outlet temperature
  • Manifold gas pressure
  • Inducer assembly
  • Burners & ignition system
  • Carbon monoxide levels
  • Overall condition of heating system

A main reason for getting an annual furnace inspection is to maintain their system’s warranty. Nearly all furnace manufacturers state in the owners contract that the equipment must be serviced annually by a qualified professional otherwise the warranty will be void. Plus, an annual tune-up can ensure:

  • Improved system performance
  • A longer lifespan for your system
  • Improved energy efficiency (which can result in lower utility bills!)
  • A lower frequency of breakdowns and necessary repairs
  • Better indoor air quality

Cincinnati Furnace Tune-Up Services

If you need to schedule a furnace inspection and tune-up before winter in the Cincinnati area, contact Rick’s Heating & Cooling. Our HVAC technicians are pros at checking all makes and models of furnaces and helping indicate any potential problems before the colder months settle into Ohio.