Winter is Coming! Washougal Heating & Cooling
Give your family the gift of clean air! Don't leave your loved ones in the cold this Christmas.
As our temperate fall wraps up and makes way for our freezing winter months, more and more people are discovering that their furnaces won’t start up! Can you imagine, you are starting up your trusty, old furnace to heat you and your loved ones and instead you get a face full of COLD air! Could it be because you forgot to keep up on your Semi/annual Maintenance's? Probably. Neglect usually leads to larger, more costly repairs down the road. Don’t be the only house on the block with a faulty furnace! Here are some DIY tips to help you and your furnace have a long, happy, & healthy life together.
Schedule Annual Maintenance
It is of the utmost importance that you schedule maintenance your furnace/AC at least once a year, though twice(Fall/Spring) is recommended. Your HVAC system is just a machine, much like a vehicle! You cannot drive a car for very long without ever putting oil into it. Your hardworking HVAC system can only last for so long without some good ole T.L.C.
Programmable Thermostat
You turn of the lights when you leave the house, right? So why wouldn’t you do so for your HVAC system? You can program your thermostat to start/stop heating or cooling to coincide with your schedule. This way, you get to save money, your house is the perfect temperature all the time, AND your HVAC system doesn’t have to overexert itself!
Replacing Filters
A good rule of thumb to follow with filters is to check them every month. Change as needed but every home is different. You will likely have to change them at least <2X a year. This goes for both your Furnace AND your AC. A dirty filter can cause anything from breathing in the filthy particles to a complete breakdown of your HVAC system! $5 Filter or $5,000 new furnace? Either way, we do it all!
Cleaning Ducts
The Ducts are what carry the air from the furnace to your vents. Being in small, dark, humid areas, they are often a target to animals, mold, dust, pollen, and other debris. Over the years, it will build up and before you know it, you and your family are breathing it all in. It will also restrict airflow causing your system to be inefficient.
Cleaning up Debris
Dust, hair, dander, lint, etc. are all quite common to find around your furnace but they are all very dangerous! While they make filters dirtier faster, they are a major fire hazard. It is highly recommended you clean around your furnace to prevent potential disaster.
