“I have a question about furnace inspections – you say get one every year, do I really need to? What happens during an inspection? It’s not like a car, a propane furnace doesn’t have spark plugs to replace. From my understanding – is all you do is really vacuum and inspect the wiring. Couldn’t I just do that? Do I really need to fork over the money each year?” – a customer email
So far we’ve had a pretty cold winter and it looks like it’s not stopping according to Alamac.com. When it comes to your propane-powered furnace, the old saying is true “an ounce of prevention, is worth a pound of cure.”
We’re always thinking about safety as it’s our #1 concern. However, when it comes to furnaces it’s also about preventative maintenance. It’s about catching the problem before it happens – you don’t want it to conk out on you during the coldest days of winter or simply not putting enough heat out, do you?
While some newer furnaces may be inspected every other year, we still recommend all furnaces regardless of age to be checked annually – especially if your furnace is older than 10. We don’t recommend that a homeowner do it on your own because most manufacturers have language in their warranties protecting themselves against such damage.
Annual Winter Furnace Inspection
Check the vent system for blockage/leakage. Includes the outside end and the connections at and internal to the furnace.
Analyze combustion gases and compared to the unit specs.
Check blower access door for a tight seal at furnace.
Check the fresh air intake grills and louvers for blockage.
Inspect the heat exchanger for rust and corrosion.
Check the burners for proper ignition, burner flame and flame sense.
Check the drainage system needs for blockage and/or leakage. Includes the internal hoses for the furnace. Clean the condensate drain and trap need to be cleaned and replace water in trap.
Check the blower wheel for debris and clean if necessary. Will require complete removal of the blower wheel.
Conduct an amp-draw test on the blower motor and compared with what is listed.
Check the wiring needs for corrosion and damage.
Check and replace filter. (homeowner should complete at least quarterly).
Our Service Experts
The service experts at J&J Gas Service are highly trained, fully equipped and thoroughly vetted to perform a wide variety of furnace maintenance services regardless of the type you have in your home. Our furnace services include:
- New system installation
- Preventative maintenance (and agreements)
- Repair services for all furnace makes and models
- Furnace replacement
- 24- hour emergency repair service
CO Safety & Your Family
When your furnace is properly cared for and maintained, most do not produce more than the minimal amount of carbon monoxide. With that being said, if your natural gas, propane or oil furnace is dirty and running poorly – it can produce a considerable and lethal amount of carbon monoxide. To keep you and your family safe, we recommend installing a CO detector and alarm and see the following safety measures from Propane101.com
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