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MAINTENANCE
The heating
system installed in your home will
provide you with many years of
comfort if given the proper care and
maintenance.
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Manufacturer
Directions |
Good
maintenance of the heating system
can save energy dollars as well as
prolong the life of the heating
system itself. Carefully read and
follow the manufacturer’s literature
on use and care. The guidelines here
only include general information. |
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Annual
Inspection |
To keep your
heating system operating at maximum
efficiency, you should have it
checked and serviced by a
professional serviceman at least
twice a year. |
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Thermostat |
Please
review the thermostat manual for
proper operation instructions. The
furnace will come on automatically
when the temperature at the
thermostat registers below the
setting you have selected. Setting
the thermostat to a higher
temperature will not heat the home
faster and the best performance will
be realized when the thermostat is
left at one setting around the
clock. Fan switch left in the on
position.
Thermostats are
calibrated to within plus or minus 5
degrees.
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Filter |
Remember to change or clean the
filters every 60 days. If you do not
replace your filters, your furnace
cannot breathe and it will become
too hot and shut down. Although it
takes less than one minute to change
the filter, this is one of the most
frequently overlooked details of
normal furnace care. |
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Ductwork Noise |
Some popping or pinging sounds are
the natural result of ductwork
heating and cooling as air flows
through the system. |
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Temperature
Variations |
Normal
temperatures can vary from floor to
floor and room to room (depending on
style of home). Variations between
inside temperatures and the
thermostat setting can be as much as
6 degrees. The furnace blower will
typically cycle on and off more
frequently and for shorter periods
of time during severe cold spells. |
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Trial Run |
Have a trial
run early in the fall to test the
furnace. The same applies to A/C in
the spring. If service is needed, it
is much more convenient to discover
it prior to the heating season. |
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Not Overheat |
Your new home should not be
overheated. Overheating can cause
excessive shrinkage in framing
lumber and may materially damage the
home. In the beginning, use as
little heat as possible and increase
it gradually. |
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Odor |
It is normal
for the heating system to emit an
odor for a few minutes when it is
first turned on after an extended
period of not being used (such as
after the summer months if you do
not use air conditioning). This is
caused by dust that has settled in
the ducts, and should pass very
quickly. |
| Gas
Odor |
If you smell gas, leave the house
immediately and call the gas company |
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Troubleshooting |
The furnace may have an on/off power
switch. This switch looks like a
regular light switch and is located
on or next to the furnace. The
switch simply overrides all furnace
commands and manually shuts off the
power. This is usually only done
when maintenance service is
performed, however this switch can
be inadvertently turned off and
should be checked if the system is
not working. In addition, check the
circuit breaker in the electrical
panel in your garage to see that the
breaker is in the “on” position. |
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LIMITED WARRANTY |
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Engineering |
To fully and efficiently utilize
your heating system, you must
understand that it is a total,
whole-house system. The heating
system involves everything inside
your home, including, for example,
drapes and window coverings. The
heating system should be able to
maintain a temperature of 70 degrees
(measured 5 feet above the center of
the floor at the T-stat). The
homeowner is responsible for minor
adjustments such as balancing
dampers and registers. All rooms may
vary in temperature by as much as 6
degrees. This is acceptable. |
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Furnace Sounds
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Expansion and contraction of metal
ductwork will typically result in
some ticking or popping sounds. It
is not possible to eliminate these
sounds. |
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Registers |
Register covers are removable and
adjustable. The homeowner is
responsible for adjusting the
dampers in these covers to regulate
the airflow within the home. In
particular, attention is drawn to
the fact that rooms farther away
from the furnace will need to have
vents opened more than rooms closer
to the furnace. |
