Keeping Your Gas Furnace Running Safely and Efficiently

Last week, we talked about the pilot light on your propane gas furnace. This week, we’ll help you keep your gas furnace running safely and efficiently.

Today’s gas furnaces are loaded with safety features, but you’ll still need to provide a minimum of care to keep them working well and safely. Here are five ways you can do that:

1. Change filters regularly – Dust and dirt can really affect the performance of your gas furnace, so change your filters regularly – about once a month during heating season. If you don’t know how to do that, just ask.
2. Install carbon monoxide detectors – If your gas furnace is working properly, it exhausts a harmless amount of carbon monoxide (CO) through the roof vent. But a malfunctioning or poorly maintained furnace could create a dangerous buildup of CO in your home. A carbon monoxide detector is a cost-effective safeguard against that problem.
3. Store flammable liquids properly – Fumes from volatile liquids like paint thinner and turpentine can cause a fire hazard if they’re near your gas furnace’s pilot light. Keep those liquids away from your gas furnace.
4. Clean the surfaces of your furnace regularly – Do what you can to keep dust away from your furnace. As we disussed in our previous post, dust can cause your pilot light to go out and create other problems.
5. Never skip your annual tune-up – Maintaining your heating system is a critical investment for your home heating system – it will help your equipment run better for longer, and help technicians spot minor issues before they become expensive repairs. A tune-up may even be required to keep your warrantee in force. Want a great way to keep maintenance simple? Sign up for an economical propane service plan.

Routine maintenance is the key to safely operating your gas furnace – if you haven’t had your annual heating system tune-up, contact us today for an appointment!