Summer Care Tips for Home Furnaces

As we enter the spring and eventually the summer months, there’s a tendency among some homeowners to forget about the furnace. It’s warm in Utah during the summer, after all, and why pay much attention to the furnace, which is in charge of providing warmth you don’t need?

At My Buddy the Plumber, we’re here to advise against this kind of approach. In many cases, the spring or summer can be the best time of year to take part in certain furnace repair services – and even if not, this is an important period of time for some small maintenance and upkeep areas that will keep the furnace in tip-top shape once it’s time for it to get to work again in the fall. Here are a few basics on maintaining your furnace through the summer.

Pilot Light

If your home still utilizes and older furnace format that uses a pilot light, this should be switched off at the beginning of the spring or summer season when it’s clear the furnace will not be used again for a significant period of time. The pilot light doesn’t use a huge amount of energy, but it does use some – and more importantly it just serves no purpose during the summer.

In addition, leaving it on could wear down the actual light blinker itself and cause it to become defective. If you don’t know where your pilot light is to turn it off during summer, call our pros and they can tell you.

Carbon Monoxide Detectors

A vital safety check around furnaces and other HVAC components is for carbon monoxide, a chemical that has no smell or taste but can be very dangerous in high quantities. Your carbon monoxide detectors should be tested at least twice a year, and doing this once during summer and once during winter is a good way to go. If you don’t already have these detectors on every floor of your home, ensure this changes before next fall as well.

Basic Cleaning and Maintenance

The spring and summer are perfect times for cleaning and other minor bits of upkeep on the furnace, which will not be in use and will therefore be easy to work around. Inspect the basic furnace area and check for dirt or debris, then clean it with a basic damp rag.

This is also a good time to replace furnace filters, if applicable. For deeper cleaning areas, including inside the furnace, leave this to our pros unless you are licensed and trained in this area.

Considering Upgrades

Finally, the warm months are a great time to assess your current furnace and determine if a replacement might be in order. Rather than being forced into a time crunch when your furnace actually fails in fall or winter some year, prepare in advance by replacing it during summer – when many furnaces will be cheaper or come on sale, as well.

For more on care areas for your furnace over the summer, or to learn about any of our plumbing or HVAC services, speak to the staff at My Buddy the Plumber today.