OCR Text |
Show ( Furnace maintenance is important chore Although your furnace is out of sight, if you want to avoid some mid-winter mechanical blues, it's best not to keep it out of mind. The chilling realization that your warm, dependable winter friend tucked away in the comer of your basement has decided to take the rest of the season off, may be the consequence of ignoring simple furnace maintenance procedures, said Stephen E. Poe, Utah State University Extension energy specialist. A furnace not tuned properly will also not bum efficiently, wasting valuable fuel and costing you more to heat your house, he said. If you're uncomfortable working ! around machinery, you can hire a heating contractor for under $50 to come and tune up your furnace for you. On the other hand, if you've got an hour, dont mind working around moving parts and want to save some money, here is a basic checklist for critical annual furnace care. First, turn off the power, open the access door and take a look at the large fan. The roller drum of the fan should be thoroughly vacuumed, he said. "It takes energy to move the fan, i and it's not going to be as efficient to move if it contains dust and lint, ' ' he said. Next, check the fan belt for wear and cracking. When pushing down I between the two pulleys, it should I deflect about one-half inch, he said. I Next, change the furnace filter I even if it looks clean. The filter I should be changed regularly I throughout the heating season, he I said. I The most important thing you I can do to make a gas or oil fired I furnace bum efficiently is to tune I up the burner to make sure the I flame is burning efficiently. You do I this by looking inside the combus- I tion chamber while the burner is in I operation, he said. I In an oil furnace, the flame I should bum bright yellow with or- I ange tips. A gas burner flame I should have a bright blue cone with I a softer, darker outer cone. I - He said you can alter the ap- I pearance of the flame on an oil I burner by adjusting the air shutter. I On a gas burner, loosen the screw I that covers the air opening on the I furnace venturi and adjust the I cover. I He said to consider having a I heating technician check to see I about the possibility of down-firing I your furnace to a lower firing rate. I This can be done by reducing the I rating of the nozzle on an oil fur- I nace or the orifice on a gas furnace I up to 20 percent Because most I house furnaces are oversized, I down-firing can dramatically im- I prove fuel economy. I |