Tips for Starting Your Furnace This Fall

It has been bordering on downright pleasant these past few weeks. Temperatures are dropping and fall is in swing. And while we couldn’t be happier to see a little relief, the experts at BVS Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning know well that winter is soon to come. Is your furnace ready to take on the chill? Better yet, are you ready to equip your furnace with the care it needs to fight winter?

At BVS, our top priority is to bring you the best in services, quality, and in the context of our blog, information and tips to make your life easier and more comfortable! If you haven’t gotten to work on getting your furnace ready this fall, here are some tips to get you started.

Getting Your Furnace Ready

Prepping your furnace before you start it up for the season is all about optimizing its effectiveness and reducing risks. An untimely breakdown can leave you in the cold on one of our fairly chilly nights, and low efficiency can cut a hole in your pockets in a hurry! And so these tips focus on general furnace maintenance and the best practices for optimizing the effectiveness of your heating.

Quick Homeowners DIY Furnace Maintenance Guide

We’ll keep this short and sweet, focusing on the biggest comfort and efficiency gains. Before you kick your system on this season, you should:

• Replace your air filters. Any HVAC professional is going to tell you this exact same thing. Next to professional maintenance, nothing is more critical than routinely replacing your air filter. And here in the Houston area where dust and debris are common, that goes doubly so. A clean filter reduces your risks of repair problems and drastically improves the efficiency of your system. Be sure to replace your filter before the winter season kicks in.
• Sweep away dust and debris. Especially important in the case of a gas furnace, clearing dust from your ventilation and from around your indoor unit not only improves the air quality in your home, but it also removes a fire hazard and promotes good air flow! Air flow is a key factor in your comfort and the efficiency of your system, so be sure to not neglect this task!
• Inspect your outdoor unit. If your heating system uses an outdoor unit, be sure that it is clear of any leaves or loose grass before you turn your furnace on. Plant matter and debris can kill air flow and is one of the leading causes of furnace repair mid-season.

Having trouble lighting your gas furnace pilot this season? Check out our Ultimate Guide!

For a Perfect Furnace Start-Up Get Professional Maintenance

Homeowner care plays a big part of better comfort and efficiency, but if you’re looking to get the most out of your furnace this year, be sure to join our Healthy Home plan! Our maintenance experts have all of the knowledge and skill needed to optimize your furnace before you turn it on this season, which is guaranteed to bring you a happier, warmer home all winter long.