It’s that time of the year again in the Buffalo area, the time where we can’t prolong the inevitable any longer, and actually have to turn on the heat for the season. When starting up your furnace for the colder months ahead you may be crossing your fingers in hopes that it works as you anticipate. Instead of putting your warmth in luck’s hands, there are things to look for when turning on your furnace to ensure it fires up as you expect.

What are things to look for when turning on your furnace?

There is nothing worse than turning on your furnace and realizing that it is not working properly or at all. There are some things you should do prior to turning on your furnace that can help to ensure it starts up.

– Annual Furnace Tune-up: Having an annual furnace inspection and tune-up will help to ensure you and your family aren’t without heat. Furnace manufacturers all recommend annual inspections and maintenance by a qualified technician. Furnace inspections help to identify any potential issues to your HVAC system before you are turning up the heat for the season. Annual tune-ups also can help to extend the life of your unit.

– Check Your Thermostat: When turning on your furnace, you should ensure that the thermostat is turned on, set to the heat setting, and has power. Your home may be warmer than you think, which can prevent the heat from turning on; thus, if you have programmable thermostat, make sure it is in the temperature range that will kick off your heat.

– Turn on the Gas or Electric: Gas and electric furnaces are different; however, they both need their power source on in order for your furnace to work. With a gas furnace, your furnace must be getting an adequate gas supply in order for your unit to work. Electric furnaces rely on electricity to function. If you turned off the gas or electric going to your furnace in the warmer months, make sure it is back on and if there is a power switch, ensure that is on as well, to successfully start your furnace.

– Change the Air Filter: There are many benefits of changing your Buffalo, New York home’s air filter. This should be done throughout the year and definitely at the beginning of the season. A blocked and dirty filter makes your system work extra hard to heat your Buffalo home. Not only does this lead to inefficiency and larger utility bills, it can also cause your system to overheat and burn out.  The extreme strain placed on the blower and the entire system can lead to the system breaking down completely.

Is your furnace working as intended?

While there are steps you can take and things to look for when turning on your furnace, unfortunately, there are also other things outside of your control that can prevent your furnace from working or heating effectively.

Reimer Home Services is here to help. We’re Western New York’s heating repair specialists. We fix all types of heating systems, from all manufacturers and brands. No matter what the problem is, our heating repair team can fix it.

We’ll be there when you need us most. Our team doesn’t charge extra for repairs on nights or weekends. For expert heating repair here in Buffalo, New York, call us or request service online.