Furnace Maintenance 101: Prevent a Home Fire With These 5 Steps
2/22/2022 (Permalink)
Prevent a Furnace Fire In Your Home
Heating is one of the main causes of home fires. Fire departments and fire cleaning companies deal with the most heating-related fires in the cooler months of the year, so it is important to take extra precautions to protect your home in Woburn, MA, by regularly maintaining your furnace. Before the cold weather arrives, follow these five important steps to prevent a furnace fire this winter.
1. Regularly Clean Your Furnace
Make sure to regularly clean your furnace by removing any dirt and dust that makes its way into the interior of your furnace. Gently use a soft-tipped paintbrush and vacuum to do the job!
2. Visual Inspect Your Furnace
Looking over your furnace for any broken or worn-down parts is a good way to determine if your unit needs any repairs or part replacements. Check wires, tubes, the drive belt, bearings, and other components that get worn down easily or pose a hazard.
3. Perform an Odor Check
If at any point you can identify the lingering smell of rotten eggs or smoke in your home, leave the house immediately because that means you have a gas leak. Do not light a cigarette, use your phone inside, touch any electronics, or re-enter the building for any reason. An inspection and possibly even a smoke cleaning will be required.
4. Replace Filters Periodically
Your furnace filter needs to be replaced every one to three months. A good way to remember replacing your filter is to do so every first of the month.
5. Get Your Furnace Professionally Serviced
While regularly cleaning, inspecting, and replacing filters on your furnace is fine to do on your own, make sure to have a professional service your furnace at least once a year!
Avoid a fire cleaning by instead opting for a furnace cleaning! By keeping up on your furnace maintenance, you can avoid a heating home fire all year long.