What to Do Before Turning on Your Furnace

As the warmth of summer gives way to cool, crisp fall weather, you’ll feel the itch to turn on your furnace. But before you start up the furnace for the year, there are a few maintenance chores you should do to make sure it’s ready to handle the cold weather. Here at Hoff Heating & AC, we’ve spent years keeping the O’Fallon area furnaces running smoothly. These are three things to do before you turn on the furnace for the first time.

Change the Air Filter

Every furnace has an air filter inside of it that sifts out dust, debris, and allergens from the air. Not only does the filter improve your home’s indoor air quality, but it also protects your furnace from damage. A dirty air filter can release dust and debris into the furnace, lowering its energy efficiency and increasing the odds of component failure. To avoid these issues, change your air filter every three to six months.

Replace Thermostat Batteries

The thermostat is a small wall-mounted device that communicates with your furnace. Most modern furnaces are battery-powered and need to be changed about every six months. If the batteries die, your thermostat stops working and, in some cases, your furnace won’t turn on at all. Simply freshen up the batteries so you don’t have to worry about the furnace powering down on a cold winter night.

Schedule a Tune-Up

One of the best investments you can make for your furnace is scheduling annual maintenance. When we do a tune-up, we clean the unit, inspect it for damage, and make minor adjustments to keep it running efficiently. We’ll also catch minor problems before they turn into major, costly repairs.

O’Fallon’s Furnace Experts

For all of your winter (and year-round!) furnace needs in O’Fallon, look no further than Hoff Heating & AC. Our NATE-certified technicians are furnace experts and work with all makes and models of residential heating systems. Make us your first call for all of your heating needs, from replacements to maintenance and repairs. Give us a call today to learn more!