Chicago winters can obviously be brutal. The last thing you want to have to deal with on a bitterly cold day is a furnace that has malfunctioned. One of the best ways of making sure that you get through another frigid winter is by having furnace maintenance performed on a regular basis. At One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning® of Elk Grove we can provide you with a top-to-bottom check of your heating unit to make sure that all components are working properly. However, there are some things you can do on your own to help keep your furnace running.
Check the Flame
Turn on your furnace and turn up the thermostat to engage the burners. Look at the flames to make sure they are blue. If they are yellow, your burners are dirty and you may be at risk of a breakdown (Remember not to breathe on the flames, however. That will also make them turn yellow). Call a professional if you have yellow flames, because you should not try to adjust the burners on your own.
Change the Filter
This is the easiest furnace maintenance job you can do on your own. You should change the filter every one to three months during heating season to be on the safe side, because a dirty filter will restrict airflow. Your furnace will have to work much harder just to provide the same level of heating, which will eventually cause serious problems with wear and tear.
Dust the Pilot
Use a drinking straw and blow dust off of the pilot. If it’s dirty, that can cause a false reading in the flame sensor, and the pilot won’t light as a result. If you have a newer furnace, however, you may have a hot surface igniter instead of a pilot.
Get in touch withOne Hour Heating & Air Conditioning® of Elk Grove if you would like one of our technicians to provide the furnace maintenance you need to have confidence your unit will continue to work when you need it the most. Give us a call at (847) 744-9447 or contact us online to schedule an appointment.
One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning® of Elk Grove provides HVAC services for the cities of Elk Grove Village, Roselle, Park Ridge, Schaumburg, Chicago, and other cities in Illinois.