It’s time to crank up the furnace and savor that odor of charred dust with the first blast of warm air and you may have changed the filters at the onset of autumn. Don’t worry, the smell will quickly dissipate but aside from routine filter maintenance, there are some important tips to keep in mind to ensure your family’s safety during the fall and winter months. For starters, that burning smell is nothing to be alarmed about. Dust accumulates in your furnace during the spring and summer, and when you turn the unit on again in the fall, the dust burns off. The odor will go away in a few hours. Of course, if that burning smell lingers or gets worse, then have your furnace checked out.

Here are some other safety tips.

Remove clutter.

Keep the area around your furnace clear of furniture, boxes, paint, cleaning supplies, and other potentially flammable objects. These items can easily ignite if they become overheated.

Change the filters.

As mentioned above, changing furnace filters is part of routine maintenance. If neglected, dirty furnace filters can impede the flow of warm air throughout your home and can increase your heating bills. Also, dirty furnace filters can impact indoor air quality, which can exacerbate allergies, colds, and other upper respiratory conditions.

Install carbon monoxide monitors.

You should already have these mounted in the upper floors of your home, but it’s a good idea to also install one in the furnace area. Be sure to change the batteries regularly.

Schedule routine maintenance.

It’s a smart idea and good investment to schedule regular seasonal HVAC maintenance. An HVAC technician, such as the ones at CARE Heating and Cooling will inspect your furnace to make sure it’s in prime working order for the cold weather season.

If you would like to schedule a furnace checkup, need a new furnace, or have any concerns about your furnace’s performance, call CARE at 614-841-1555 to schedule a service call. Our phones are answered by a live person 24/7.