A typical residential furnace can last for 10-15 years — but you must maintain it. Unfortunately, many homeowners wait until their furnace stops working to seek professional help. Many common problems are avoidable, however, if you follow some basic maintenance steps.

If you live in the Round Rock or North Austin area, then you know all too well how cold our winters can be in contrast to our warmer seasons. This means that ensuring your system is working properly and efficiently is essential do to more than just keep your home cool and comfortable during the warmer months. Did you know that insulating your hot water pipes can help keep your home well-balanced in the winter? Let’s dive into why insulation is so important for keeping your home comfortable and energy-efficient.

Replacing your furnace’s air filter is a quick and easy task that any homeowner can perform. Over time, dirt, dust and debris will build up on the filter, restricting air flow while subsequently forcing your furnace to work harder. Try to get into the habit of changing your furnace’s air filter once every 2-3 months to prevent this from happening. You should replace your old filters before you use the furnace again for the Winter.

When was the last time that you checked your thermostat? If no one is home during the day, there’s no reason your furnace should run during this time. Running a furnace when no one is home consumes power while offering no benefit in return. Program your thermostat to turn on shortly before family members arrive and turn off shortly after they leave.

Located next to the filter line in a typical furnace is the blower assembly. The particulate matter that passes through the filter will end up in the blower. If not cleaned, it will then circulate throughout your home, polluting the air. Have your furnace’s blower professionally cleaned to promote better air quality inside your home.

A professional HVAC inspection of your furnace should also include a fan inspection. The fan and its components should be inspected to prevent future problems. If there’s dust or debris accumulated on the fan, it could restrict its power.

Make sure that no tree branches, leaves, bird nests, or other debris are blocking the chimney.

You may want to oil the motor, or furnace blower, before you turn it on. This will help it run more smoothly.

It’s common practice to position furniture in a way that’s blocking the furnace vents during the summer months. However, you must remember to move away any such furniture when the winter comes around. Blocked vents can cause your furnace to overheat.

If you really want to be sure that everything is safe and ready to use, it’s a good idea to call a professional. A professional will know what to look for, be able to spot potential problems such as cracks, and clean your furnace.

Heating systems have the potential to create carbon monoxide, an odorless gas that can kill. It can create flu-like symptoms. You want to make sure that what you are experiencing in winter is not mistakenly thought to be flu, when it is actually carbon monoxide poisoning. You need to make sure that your system does not have any leaks.

Not only can the repairman clean, service, and check your equipment for carbon monoxide, but at the same time you might also consider getting a special thermostat installed that will take the temperature of your house down at night or when you are at work. It is cheaper and easier to warm a house than to keep it warm all day for when you return home. A serviceman can also check all the vents to make sure they are clean. You don’t want debris from an animal’s nest that was created during the spring or summer to be sent out through the vents. Dust and debris is part of why people suffer allergies and respiratory problems.