Owner Maintenance of Forced-Air Heating Systems
Cleaning or Changing the Air Filter
Important! Turn off the power to the furnace before opening the furnace access
panel to check the filter or fan.
Few homeowners give the air filter in a furnace the attention it needs. It
should be cleaned or replaced once a month. You can get permanent filters made
of aluminum or plastic mesh that can be washed in a laundry tub, but these are
not as fine as glass-fibre filters and do not trap as much dirt.
If you have added an electrostatic air filter to your furnace, you do not need a
standard filter as well. Don’t forget that the electrostatic filters also need
to be cleaned regularly; check your owner’s manual for instructions. To maintain
clean ducts consider duct cleaning
every few years.
Fan Care
Except for superficial vacuuming, there is no maintenance that a homeowner can
perform on a direct-drive furnace fan with an internal motor. On belt-driven
fans, some motors have small oiling cups over the bearings on each end of the
motor, while others are maintenance-free. The ones requiring oiling should be
given a few drops of oil once or twice during the heating season and again in
the summer, if you use your fan for ventilation or air conditioning. (Check your
owner’s manual or ask your furnace serviceperson about the type and quantity of
oil to use.)
Also check the tension of the fan belt by pressing it firmly in the centre with
your thumb. You should be able to depress it about 20 mm (3/4 in.) and no more
than 25 mm (1 in.). The tension of the fan belt can be adjusted by loosening the
bolts on the motor mount and moving it forward or backward. Make sure the fan
and motor pulleys remain perfectly aligned. This job is best done by a qualified
serviceperson.
Care of the Distribution System
Remove obstructions from ductwork, warm air registers and cold air returns so
that air can move freely around the system. Use a special water-based duct
mastic to seal cracks at duct joints, At the same time, consider
insulating as much of your warm air ducts as you can easily access.
Furnace filters.