Keeping your Home Safe with Regular Gas Furnace Maintenance
Gas furnace repair is a very important job that should be repeated regularly. The Better Business Bureau or BBB recommends doing maintenance work and plumbing reviews on it at least once a year. Aside from getting the soot and other debris that might block the free flow of air, your gas furnace must be checked for mechanical troubles.
Malfunctioning gas furnace can cause carbon monoxide leaks. Carbon monoxide is a toxic chemical compound that can cause symptoms very similar and often mistaken as flu, together with complaints of disorientation, headaches and other health problems. Carbon monoxide is the unwanted result of incomplete burning of natural gas and other carbon based fuels. It is difficult to detect by the human senses alone because it has no color and odor in its pure form. Old and improperly maintained gas furnaces tend to produce more of this deadly substance due to decreased effectiveness of combustion. Old furnaces can also have cracks and holes on the plumbing where carbon monoxide can leak. These holes can go on undetected and cause damage. It is therefore very important to make scheduled gas furnace maintenance annually.
This dangerous gas compound is produced as an unwanted by- product of uncompleted burning of natural gas and other carbon rich products. Other house appliances that produce heat like water heaters, and cooking stoves can produce carbon monoxide but the gas furnace is the most frequent culprit.
Lubricating the furnace motor is another crucial part of gas furnace maintenance. Inspect the motors to check it has an oiling port or not. Motors with oiling ports require oiling once a year on the average depending on how often they are used. Refrain from using too much oil on the motor bearings to reduce the chance of damaging the motor by oil contamination.
The BBB also suggest plumbing reviews and scheduled repair work and lubrication of the motor after cleaning the gas furnace. These repairs and maintenance jobs are recommended to be entrusted on the hands of licensed HVAC professionals to avoid scams and other public complaints. Motors can either be with or without oil port. Motors without oil port have sealed bearings that are suitably lubricated at the manufacturing plant. They are considered to be maintenance free and must be substituted with new ones by a technician when they begin to play up. Motors with lubricating ports must be oiled at least once a year at the average. Overfilling the lubrication ports with too much oil can harm the motor however, and is the major basis why this work is best left to the experts.
The air filters also play a vital role in the proper functioning of the gas furnace. Electronic air filters must be maintained according to the instructions on the product packaging. Fiberglass and cardboard filters are disposed and replaced by a new one when they become soiled. Plastic air filters can be rinsed on detergent to remove dirt and thoroughly dried before reusing them. Whatever type of filter you are using, the gas furnace should never be used without the air filter.
Along with the furnace, fan, motor and filter, there are other things that the technician must include in their regular maintenance work. The whole system must be checked for corrosion especially the gas pipes and the venting system that is the most often passage way of gas leaks. Plumbing reviews must also include the heat exchanger passages. The whole pilot assembly together with the burners must also be incorporated in the cleaning schedule.
In Bridgeville, authorities are warning the public about the complaints that they are currently receiving about scams perpetuated by persons claiming to be plumbing and heating technicians. Consumers are advised to deal only with certified professionals.
Find out why Gillece scam and the possibility of CO colorless odorless toxic gas in your household.
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