Now that fall is officially here although with the warm weather your furnace and heating is the last thing on our minds! Toronto and the GTA have very unpredictable weather in the fall months! It could be a good time to service both your furnace and air conditioner at the same time while the weather is still nice. Here are my tips for preparing your furnace for heating our homes in the upcoming months.

• First thing you need to do is make sure you have a clean filter. Changing your filter on a regular basis (every 3 months to a year depending on the type of filter you use). Ask your heating and air conditioning contractor if you are not sure if it needs changing or for the last time it was changed, we keep records for all our customers. Why is it important to change your filter on a regular basis? A blocked filter makes your furnace lose efficiency which in the long run will cost you more to repair than the cost of a new filter.
• Next, check the blower belt or have a heating and air conditioning contractor come and take a look at it. A broken or cracked belt will result in the furnace breaking down. The furnace will always breakdown on the coldest night of the year! Murphy’s Law!
• Make sure all the vents in your home are free of any obstructions, like furniture, boxes or toys etc.
• Make sure the floor and area around your furnace is free and clean and clear of any boxes, chemicals or any storage. Your furnace needs fresh air all around it at all times when it is in working mode.
• It is very important to also have a clean and clear blower vent on the outside of the house.

If you are planning to change your old furnace for a new high efficiency model, Government grants are still in effect. We would be pleased to quote.

Many of these are best left to your professional heating contractor which is all part and parcel of the annual or bi-annual service call. It is important to prepare your furnace for the upcoming cold winter season to make sure it will all work properly and efficiently once it is ready to be turned on. Remember the first cold day of the year is the busiest year for all heating and air conditioning contractors so don’t make it on the waiting list.

John Novak Heating & Air Conditioning is your friendly neighbourhood heating contractor who is always ready for any of your troubleshooting phone calls. Give John a call and get personal service every time!

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