5 Tips To Prepare Your Furnace For the Colder Weather Coming to the GTA

Although it’s not super cold yet, it will be sooner than we know it. As we move through October, temperatures in Vaughan begin to drop so it’s important to prepare our homes and make sure our heating systems are in order for the cold weather. Now is the perfect time to make sure your furnace functioning and maintained for the coming months.

If you notice your furnace acting up, you may consider replacing it completely. Luckily, this time of year is a good time to take advantage of the great prices on energy efficient models like Lennox Furnaces. It’s important to perform basic maintenance on your furnace, or consider replacing it, during the fall to keep the machine running smoothly and help you avoid a breakdown in the winter.

Keep reading for tips to keep your furnace running and prepare for the colder months.

Cleaning Your Furnace

The first step when preparing to maintain your furnace is making sure it’s clean. Remember, before doing anything, to be sure your furnace is shut off! Once you have turned it, off you can remove the casing and vacuum any built up dust, dirt, or debris that may have built up the past few months. Then, use a wet cloth to wipe off the blades of the blower fan.

You should also check to make sure there are no obstacles blocking the vents to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, which we will discuss next.

Check For Leaks And Cracks

In order to heat your home, most furnaces produce carbon monoxide which is an odorless, invisible gas that can result in death if inhaled. Most gas furnace models pump air through a heating element that contains hot gasses to warm it up. A crack in this exchanger can result in the carbon monoxide leaking into your home rather than being vented outside.

Often, these cracks aren’t immediately visible to our eyes, so an easy way to check for leaks is by turning on the furnace and holding a carbon monoxide detector up to it. If the alarm goes off, turn the furnace off and call a professional.

Presence of a crack will mean the need for a replacement chamber, and often an entirely new furnace. Especially if you’re running an old furnace, you should consider updating it to a newer model.

Replace Filters

While your furnace is turned off, check the air filter and change it out for a new one if it looks dirty. During the cold seasons, make sure to check the filter again every couple of months. However, even with a good filter dust can still build up around the blower and furnace fan so it’s a good idea to turn off your furnace and clean the inside every few months.

Check Your Pilot Light’s Coloring

Once you turn your furnace back on, check out your pilot light. The flame should be blue with no spurts of yellow or orange, and it definitely should not be flickering. Call a professional if you see any irregularities such as yellow flames or soot buildup that could be caused by combustion problems.

Update Your furnace

If you notice a lot of irregularities or malfunctions in your furnace while performing maintenance, it may be sign that your furnace is nearing the end of it’s life. Depending on the age and condition of your furnace, you might consider replacing it entirely.

Older furnaces often require an increasing number of repairs over the years, making them a pricey investment for subpar functioning. Many older furnaces also don’t operate efficiently and can end up costing you hundreds of extra dollars a year, not to mention that they also can also pose a danger to you and other occupants. Consider switching to an ENERGY STAR certified furnace such as the Lennox gas furnaces to keep warm and save during the cold months.  

At the Constant Home Comfort Big Winter Sale you can get an ENERGY STAR certified Lennox furnace for as low as $1,900 plus up to $4,250 in rebates!

Looking to upgrade your furnace? Get ahead of the cold weather and take advantage of our great prices in Vaughan. Contact us at 1-888-675-5907 for the best deals on the newest Lennox furnace models and earn long-term energy savings and thousands of dollars in rebates!