Furnace Safety Tips

As the temperature continues to drop, it’s important to take steps to ensure your home stays comfortable all winter long. Furnace safety is an often overlooked aspect of keeping warm this time of year, but there are a few simple things you can do to help protect against potential dangers. Express Tech Air has put together some tips for how homeowners can keep their furnace in good order so they don’t have any unexpected interruptions during these cold months!

Important Furnace Safety Tips

Before the temperature drops it is important for you to have your furnace inspected. And our team at Express Tech Air recommends regular furnace maintenance each season to ensure that your HVAC system is working properly and efficiently. Not only does the maintenance make sure your system isn’t overworking, but it also ensure that you are protected against any potential dangers. Here are some of our top furnace safety tips you should follow this winter!

Know the Basic Rules of Furnace Safety

While this may seem like common sense, you would be surprised to find how many people are unaware of the basic principles of their furnace. Because of this, one of the most important furnace safety tips we can offer is to know even the rudimentary workings of your furnace, and be sure to inform your family about them as well. The most important to remember being…. that a furnace is hot! Furnace temperatures can reach up to 200 degrees Fahrenheit, so you should never place your hands or any other body parts near the unit. Furnaces are also typically installed at least six feet off of the ground for this very reason, but it is important that children are informed of these potential dangers just to be safe.

furnace safety

Keep Air Flowing

Your furnace needs clean and fresh air to work. And if your furnace doesn’t get enough air then it will begin to consume the oxygen in your home. Low levels of oxygen are extremely dangerous and unsafe for you and your family.

Any air blocks to air flow will also result in your furnace heating areas in your home unevenly, causing your furnace to work harder than it needs to. And if your furnace is working harder, that means that your heating bill will be higher. Taking the time to clear any objects and opening floor registers to ensure that nothing is blocking the airflow in and out of your furnace is one of the most important furnace safety tips for you to follow.

Be Sure to Vacuum

The presence of lint and dust is actually a big hazard around your furnace and the best way to prevent dust build up is by vacuuming inside and around your furnace at least once a month. Avoiding cleaning around your furnace and letting any dust and lint accumulate around your furnace it can become a huge fire hazard. Having regularly scheduled furnace maintenance can also help prevent this build up from occurring which is why we always recommend quarterly check ups as one of our top furnace safety tips.

Keep Flammable Materials Away

Next on our list of furnace safety tips is to avoid placing any flammable material near your furnace. By doing so, you can help prevent a fire from occurring if for some reason something were to ignite nearby the unit itself. Clear away papers and other materials that may catch on fire easily, as well as wood or cloth furniture that is placed too close to your furnace.

furnace safety

Replace Your Filters

Your furnace has a filter that is designed to remove dust, lint and other particles from the air inside your home. If this filter becomes too dirty then it can block airflow into your unit which will cause your system to overheat. Having regular maintenance checks on the filters of your furnace are important as one of our top furnace safety tips so that your system can operate at its optimal performance.

Never Use the Area Near Your Furnace as a Storage Area

Your furnace has a filter that is designed to remove dust, lint and other particles from the air inside your home. If this filter becomes too dirty then it can block airflow into your unit which will cause your system to overheat. Having regular maintenance checks on the filters of your furnace are important as one of our top furnace safety tips so that your system can operate at its optimal performance.

Test Carbon Monoxide Levels & Smoke Alarms

Keeping a good carbon monoxide detector is also very high on our list of top furnace safety tips. Furnaces can produce CO which can be harmful to the human body if the levels become too high in your home, so it’s always best to regularly test for this gas and have working smoke detectors near any potential fire areas. These are just a few of the things you can do to ensure that your furnace stays in good working order throughout the winter season.

But our Biggest Furnace Safety Tip...

-is to invest in professional furnace maintenance services. While you may think it is an “unnecessary cost,” we can assure you that that is the furthest thing from true. Replacing your furnace can cost anywhere from $4,000 to $10,000, and having to repair a vital part of your furnace can cost anywhere from $375 to $1,200. So wouldn’t your rather pay less with preventative services? Scheduling these services will help catch any problems with your furnace before they become an huge issue or cause harm to you and your family’s health which is why it is one of the most important furnace safety tips to follow.

Follow these Furnace Safety Tips with Our Help!

By following our furnace safety tips, you can help prevent any unexpected interruptions or accidents during these colder months. And at Express Tech Air, your family’s comfort and health is extremely important to us. Which is why we offer a wide range of furnace related services including furnace maintenance, furnace repair and furnace replacement to help keep your home warm this winter while also ensuring you and your family can rest easy knowing that everything is working the way it should be! Contact us today for more information about our heating services!

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