While many homeowners have had their gas furnaces for a long time, research studies show that many of them don’t know how to undertake basic furnace tasks. Here are tips on how to undertake these basic tasks as given by heating repair contractors:
How to turn on the gas furnace
If you are used to having an electric furnace, you might find it a challenge to turn the gas furnace on. For you to do it you need to find the breaker for the furnace. The breaker is part of the electrical panel which is located in the basement, garage, or utility room.
The breaker should be clearly labeled with a gas furnace sticker. All you need to do is to turn it to the “ON” position. You should then locate and turn on the furnace switch, which is usually located near the bottom of the basement stairs. It can also be located in the ceiling or in the furnace room.
Your next step should be to set the thermostat. Once you have confirmed that the furnace is on, you should set the selector switch to “Heat.”
How to change the furnace filter
You must be aware that the air filter is an integral part of the furnace. It plays a major role in regulating the amount of air that goes in and out of the furnace and even in and out of the house. Since its usually exposed to dust, it tends to accumulate a lot of it, if you don’t clean it at the right time.
As I have mentioned countless times on this blog, when the air filter is dirty, the furnace works harder than it should. The consequence of this is you spending a lot of money on home heating. You also have to keep on hiring a gas furnace professional every now and then to repair it when it breaks down.
For you to check whether the furnace is dirty you need to open the furnace’s external rack or panel door. For you to remove the furnace filter you need to slide the door out. Take a look at the filter and if dark or discoloring, clean it. If too dirty or damaged, consider replacing it.
Conclusion
These are tips on how to undertake basic furnace tasks. When your unit develops any issues, you should contact professional HVAC contractors to help you with the work.
