The gas furnace, the most common type of residential heating system, can potentially turn into a safety hazard for a home if it doesn’t receive the right kind of care and attention. If you have concerns about the safety of your home’s furnace, we have some tips below about how you can maintain the highest possible safe operation through the coming season.
Always Have the Furnace Maintained in the Fall!
This is the key part of gas furnace safety. Fall maintenance visits from professionals are important for any type of heating system, because they help the heater work at high efficiency, avoid repair issues, and reach maximum life expectancy. With a gas furnace, maintenance also helps it run safely. Technicians check for any malfunction that can lead to combustion or gas hazards, and then they tune-up the furnace so there’s little chance of anything going wrong over the season.
Replace an Old Furnace
During maintenance, a technician might tell you that the best way to have a safe home is to replace the furnace. Any furnace that’s 20 years old or more will create a higher risk of dangers. Listen to the advice of the experts when it’s time to replace an aging furnace.
Always Move Fast to Schedule Repairs
At the first sign that something is wrong with your gas furnace—such as odd clicking noises from it, cold spots in the home, acrid burning smells—shut off the heater and call for repairs. Even if the furnace isn’t developing a hazardous problem, you’ll be glad you had the issue fixed early.
Don’t Store Anything around the Furnace
It’s tempting to use the gas furnace area as an additional storage space… but don’t give in! To avoid combustion dangers, see that the furnace has a few feet clear on all sides. And never store fuels or paint cans near the furnace!
One of the most important jobs that we do for homes is to ensure that they have heating systems that work safely. For the best assurance of a gas furnace in prime—and safe—shape, call us today!
Kilowatt Heating, Air Conditioning and Electrical serves Studio City, CA and throughout Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley.