Seattle Sun Newspaper - Vol. 7, Issue 9, September 2003
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AROUND THE HOME:
It's time to think about the furnace
By MATT MAURY
A few weeks ago I received a phone call from a new homeowner asking for advice on changing a furnace filter. The question was not "What type?" or "Where do I get a new one?" Rather, it was "How do I find the filter in my furnace?"
In this electronic age, where we spend many hours learning to use all the many features of our cell-phones, camcorders, and DVD players, we often take for granted the many tried-and-true appliances, water heaters and furnaces in our homes. Now, before the fall weather is upon us, is a good time to think about your home's furnace and its proper maintenance.
Most Northwest homes have gas furnaces or heat pumps. Some older homes and those in areas without gas hook-ups have oil furnaces. In these cases, the oil supplier makes regular oil deliveries and handles the service, usually on a contract. Maintenance is done on a schedule and a homeowner needs only to call the oil company if there is a problem.
On the other hand, natural gas comes into a home directly through a meter and the gas company has no regular customer contact except through the monthly bill. There isn't the commitment to ongoing furnace maintenance that has been traditional with oil heat.
So, it is up to the homeowner to be aware of at least two things. The first is safety related: Know how to shut the gas coming into the home. This is essential knowledge in the event of an earthquake. Locate the shut-off valve on the outside of your home and teach everyone living there how to turn it off. If unsure of the valve's location, ask the gas company for assistance.
The second regards maintenance: Just as an automobile requires periodic service for efficient operation, so to do furnaces and heat pumps.
Routine furnace service should include: Inspection of heat exchangers for cracks and holes, cleaning burners and pilot light flame sensors, adjusting burner flames (when necessary), oiling the blower motor, inspecting the flue for signs of improper venting or deterioration, checking the thermostat calibration and operation, cleaning or changing air filters, and inspecting unique features of a furnace, such as humidifiers.
Routine heat pump service includes: Inspection and cleaning of compressor coils and contacts, oiling the motor, checking refrigerant level and circulation, inspecting the condensation drain, cleaning the blower wheel, checking electric heaters, checking the defrost control, checking the thermostat calibration and operation, cleaning or changing air filters, and inspecting any unique features of the heat pump.
Most of these items require a knowledgeable professional. Many heating and air conditioning contractors offer preventative maintenance plans, which include priority standing for additional service, should something unforeseen cause a loss of heat in the winter.
Even with a service contract, a homeowner should know enough about the gas furnace to be able both to clean the filters (which need cleaning more than once/year) and to start the pilot light, should it go out (for instance, during a wind storm.)
Another, related, fall project is heat duct cleaning. For many years, there have been firms that have specialized in cleaning heat ducts in the home. Recently, two developments have brought this phase of home maintenance into the public spotlight. First, there has been an increasing awareness of indoor air quality as a source of allergy and disease causes. Second, there has been an emphasis within the carpet cleaning industry to expand into duct cleaning.
The duct cleaning takes place by attaching a huge vacuum hose to the heating duct at the furnace. The vacuum is turned on and all the vents in the home are covered with a solid, paper-like covering. Beginning with the vent farthest from the furnace, cleaning brushes and/or air-hose nozzles are inserted to loosen dust, dirt, animal fibers, etc. from the vent. This process is repeated at each vent in the home, recovering the cleaned bent and moving progressively closer to the furnace each time.
Two types of equipment can be used for this process: portable or truck mounted. Portable systems, the type that are often seen in discount mailings or the Sunday newspaper fliers, are capable of moving 1,500-2,500 cubic feet of air per minute through residential heating ducts. Truck-mounted units move 10,000-15,000 cubic feet of air per minute.
While yearly duct cleanings are usually unnecessary, they should be considered every 3-5 years, depending on a home's environment. If strange smells occur when the furnace turns on, it's probably an indication of dirty ducts.