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Kitchen PlumbingHVAC RepairHeatingHome SafetyHome Efficiency & ImprovementDecember 28, 2020
How to Use Your Heater Safely This Winter
Safety has certainly been a popular word these days. With COVID-19 cases still on the rise throughout the country, it’s natural to be concerned about how you can keep your household healthy and safe. Even with a vaccine on its way, we’re not quite out of the woods yet. So what can we do to ensure the safety within our homes right now, this winter?
It starts with furnace care! If you have a gas-powered heater then this blog post is for you. We aren’t saying that gas-powered heating systems are inherently unsafe, but when they’re not cared for as they should be, they can certainly become dangerous.
Keep reading as we uncover some of the ways you can ensure gas furnace safety in your home this year.
Keeping the System Clean and Unobstructed
This might seem like a great housekeeping tip, and it is. But it’s also key to the safe operation of your heater. Remember, furnaces produce heat through combustion. So generally speaking, it’s wise to keep anything flammable far away from the system. You should ensure that there are at least two feet around the system that is clear of debris, and that is swept up regularly. In addition, the indoor unit should be cleaned too, eliminating dust and dirt.
Trusting Your Nose
When you first switch your furnace on for the season, you may detect a faint burning smell—it should be similar to dust burning off of a jet or burner—because that is what’s happening. This smell should go away after a few days of consistently using your heater, however. So if it persists longer than this or it is a strong and acrid smell, it’s time to give us a call (and stop running your heater until we can take a look!)
Replacing the Air Filter
The air filter that comes standard with your furnace is there to protect said heating system from dust and debris getting inside its components. What happens is that this debris restricts airflow, and makes it harder for your furnace to reach the desired temperature on your thermostat. Ultimately, this results in an inefficient system, which isn’t exactly unsafe, but it’s not pleasant for your wallet, either.
It starts with furnace care! If you have a gas-powered heater then this blog post is for you. We aren’t saying that gas-powered heating systems are inherently unsafe, but when they’re not cared for as they should be, they can certainly become dangerous.
Keep reading as we uncover some of the ways you can ensure gas furnace safety in your home this year.
