How to clean a furnace system

For a furnace system to provide top quality heating to the home, home owners must stay on schedule with maintenance service. Maintenance services can be scheduled with your local HVAC provider, but these services can cost money that you may not want to spend. With a little time and energy, you can provide the cleaning services needed to keep your furnace unit in check this winter.

A furnace system has three parts that can become very dirty: The filtering system, the Blower and the Motor. Home owners will need to keep these sections clean to avoid any issues with the unit. These portions of the unit need to be cleaned at least once, preferably twice, a year to avoid costly repairs or replacements.

Cleaning the Filtering System

Cleaning the filtering system is quite easy. First you will need to find the access panel of your furnace. This is located on the outside of the unit. This panel is usually kept in place with screws and these screws will need to be removed to get started. Once you remove this panel, you should see the filter. You will need to remove the filter. Check the filter to see if it is damaged or dirty. If you need to clean the filter, clean it of dirt and loose items before using water. Be sure to use the instructions left by the manufacturer. If you can replace your filter, than do so. Some filters must be cleaned as they are non replaceable.

Cleaning the Blower

To clean the blower, you will need to turn off the power to the furnace. This portion of the unit is behind the same panel as the filter. You will then need to slide the fan, or blower out. This part should be on slides for easy removal. You may have to remove wires to do this so take note for reassembly. Once the blower is out, use a non abrasive soap as well as water and fine brush to clean the blower. You can also use a vacuum to clean any dust or dirt that is on or around the blower.

Clean the Motor

To clean the motor portion, you will be in the same area of the unit. The motor can be cleaned with a small vacuum to remove any dirt or dust that may be in the chambers. You can also use a small brush to remove any build up that may be on each chamber.

Conduct this process at least once a year to ensure that your furnace unit is in proper working order and continues to function as it should for many years to come!