Oh the weather outside is frightful…which means it’s probably time to do some basic maintenance on your wintertime best friend – the furnace. All summer, your furnace has been sitting on the sidelines watching the air conditioning unit get all the comfort glory. But now the temperature outside is dropping and the a/c has been pulled from the game. Time to play dirty; let’s do some furnace cleaning to prevent a heating repair.

Cleaning and maintaining your furnace is tricky. Done incorrectly and you might have a much bigger, more expensive problem on your hands. Calling a heating contractor to maintain the system will ensure the job is done correctly. However, one thing you can do to keep your furnace in game shape between contractor visits is check the filter. Just like with the air conditioning filter, dirt and dust can accumulate causing the furnace to run inefficiently. Check the filter at the beginning of heating season and at least once a month while in use. Remove the filter, hold it up to a light and see if it is clogged; replace it if necessary.
Other steps in the cleaning process are a little more complicated; time to call your heating contractor. These guys are trained in furnace cleaning and will do the following steps:

• Clean blower unit including pulleys, belts and motor housing
• Vacuum cleaner hose
• Carefully clean fan blades
• Lubricate sealed motor parts

Depending on where you live, yearly furnace cleaning costs should be in the $125 to $225 range. Not a bad price to keep your house all toasty, warm and safe while winter throws everything it’s got at your comfort’s starting team.