Furnace Safety Tips For A Safe & Cozy Winter
As the winter months roll on, it’s important to make sure that your furnace is running safely and efficiently. Furnace safety is essential for keeping your home warm and cozy throughout the season and in preventing dangerous situations that can arise when your heating system malfunctions. Keeping a well-maintained furnace could prevent a disaster from happening in your home. To help you out, we’ve compiled a list of furnace safety tips to help you avoid any potential issues and keep your family safe this winter. Read on for our top furnace safety tips and enjoy a safe and cozy winter!
Regular Inspections & Maintenance
It is important to have your furnace regularly inspected and cleaned to ensure it is running safely and efficiently. During an inspection, a professional can check for any issues with the heating system, such as a clogged filter or broken parts. If any problems are identified, they can be addressed quickly to prevent further damage. Cleaning your furnace regularly is also essential to maintain a healthy home. Removing dirt and debris from the unit can help reduce the risk of a fire or other potential hazards. Additionally, cleaning your furnace can improve its efficiency and extend its lifespan. To get the most out of your furnace and to keep your family safe during the cold winter months, make sure to schedule your furnace inspection and cleaning. Here at Lancaster Brothers Heating and Cooling, we typically recommend annual furnace maintenance.
Keep the Area Around Your Furnace Clear
When it comes to furnace safety, one of the most important things you can do is keep the area around your furnace clear. This includes keeping any flammable items such as furniture, curtains, blankets, and clothing away from your furnace. Not only will this help prevent a fire, but it will also help your furnace operate more efficiently by allowing it to have proper ventilation. Additionally, make sure to keep combustible materials like paint, gasoline, and aerosol cans away from your furnace.
By keeping your furnace’s surrounding area clean and open you can prevent dangerous and costly problems from occurring.
Test Your Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors
It’s essential to test your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors regularly to ensure that they are working correctly. With furnace safety in mind, testing your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors is crucial to make sure your family is safe and protected. Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless gas that can be produced by malfunctioning furnaces and other heating sources. Carbon monoxide is poisonous and its production can be caused by other mechanical failures in the home, so having a working carbon monoxide detector is extremely important for your family’s safety.
When testing your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, check the battery life and read the manufacturer’s instructions carefully. Replace any batteries that have gone bad or expired. Also check the date of manufacture, as some smoke and carbon monoxide detectors may need to be replaced after a certain amount of time.
Testing your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors is a key component of overall furnace safety. By making sure your detectors are working properly, you can ensure that your family is protected against the danger of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Change Filters
Dirty or old air filters can restrict the free flow of air that’s essential to any home heating and cooling system. When an air filter becomes dirty or clogged, it places an unnecessary strain on the furnace, causing it to have to work harder than it should to heat your home. Not only will this strain shorten the life of your unit, but it can also lead to more expensive energy bills. As a general rule, filters should be replaced approximately every three months, or when recommended by the filter manufacturer. Under certain conditions, though, they can become clogged after just a few weeks. If your filters are in bad shape, replace them as soon as possible.
Your Family’s Furnace Safety Rules
Getting everyone together to discuss furnace safety guidelines is especially important if you have young children in the house. Make sure your children know not to play anywhere near your home’s furnace or any other heat source you may have. Remind them not to leave any items around the furnace and whenever possible, restrict their access to it altogether, so that only the adults in your household can access the unit.
Schedule Your Furnace Check-Up
If your heating system needs an inspection, or if you have any concerns about your furnace, call the professionals at Lancaster Brothers Heating And Cooling. Our HVAC experts will come out to inspect your furnace and perform any necessary maintenance to ensure your heating system is functioning safely and efficiently this winter. You can also check out our money-saving maintenance programs, so you don’t have to remember to schedule your heating and cooling maintenance visits…we keep track for you. Call us at 913-851-3399 to schedule your maintenance visit or to talk about your HVAC concerns. You can also reach out to us via our website contact form.
We look forward to helping you stay comfortable in your home all year, as well as servicing all of your home’s heating and cooling needs!