Everything That Happens During Heating Maintenance

When the nights get chilly in New Jersey, you will naturally rely on your furnace to keep your home warm and cozy. This is one of the many reasons why you should get your furnace inspected annually by an HVAC specialist in Hunterdon County, NJ or the surrounding areas. 

The Maintenance of Heat

Heating maintenance is not just for furnaces. It is an incredibly involved process relating to your boiler, furnace, heat pump, and the like. There are basic tasks that you can (and should) do yourself, such as air filter replacement and keeping the area surrounding the outdoor unit clear of debris and clean.

• Keep the blower motor bearings lubricated well. If the unit has oil cups, make sure that every once in a while, a drop is added to each one every so often.
• Test the exposed ductwork joints for any air leaks. Hold a lit stick of incense up to the joints as the furnace runs in order to find air leaks. Seal the areas with the use of metal tape.

However, that is essentially the tip of the iceberg, and a qualified technician should do a more thorough tune-up. This is to ensure peak performance and efficiency through your continuous operations.

Multiple Steps

There are varying steps to heating maintenance, depending on the specific machine or system involved. Oil heating specialists of North Jersey would know that there are general tasks included across the board, including that of a furnace inspection. Some of these include:

• Check for blockages of the air intake grills.
• Check for blockages or leaks in the vent system.
• Check the blower and keep its components clean.
• Examine the heat exchanger for any signs of separations or cracks and corrosions. Damaged heat exchangers can cause carbon monoxide to escape, which can be fatal.
• Ensure the blower wheel is removed for checking to ensure there is neither debris nor dirt.
• Perform an amp-draw test on the blower motor and compare the results to the unit’s listed specifications. This is to extend the blower components’ life and reduce the risk of fire.
• Test whether the blower access door seal is tight.

For gas or oil furnaces, there are a few more tasks, since a little more checking is required:

• Analyze combustion gases, then compare the results to the specifications of your furnace.
• Check the fuel lines for leaks, as those can pose a fire hazard or have harmful fumes escape.
• Check to make sure that the electronic ignition or pilot is properly functional.
• Examine the thermocouple and, if necessary, replace it. This lowers the risk of explosion considerably. 
• Test the burner to see that it is operating correctly, and clean as needed.
• Test the manifold gas pressure, checking that the right amount of fuel is getting to the burners.

Conclusion

Routine maintenance gives you incomparable safety benefits, as well as being incredibly helpful to your budget and the comfort of your property. Evaluate all the gas and oil connections, alongside the cleaning and inspection of your burners and heating elements. All this will result in a heating performance that is safe and reliable.

Do you have any urgent heating and air conditioning needs in Morris County, NJ? Contact Comfort Specialist Services today! We have over a decade of experience and thousands of successfully completed jobs under our belt.