When it comes to owning your own home, educating yourself on furnace maintenance and safety is important. The furnace works by all its parts communicating with each other. As the furnace heats up, the fan will kick in and start to spin. This is what allows the warm air to travel through the house.
The different parts of a furnace are important to know, as well. The flue is the main focus of this review, but each part serves a different and important purpose. It is recommended to get a yearly inspection of any type of furnace equipment you own, and this inspection should be done by a certified professional. This will ensure that every aspect of the furnace is addressed and that your family will remain safe and warm throughout the cold months.
The flue itself is what guides the hazardous gases associated with a furnace up and away from your home. If these gases are not properly controlled, you could be exposing your home and family to many possible health risks. The two main things to watch out for when examining your furnace flue is backdraft and blockage.
- Backdraft: If your furnace is not properly ventilated, backdrafts will occur. It is not getting the oxygen that it needs and therefore sucks air down, which then stops the hazardous fumes from traveling up. In this case, it is smart to have a professional check everything and get you back to where you need to be. In other cases, backdrafts may occur when you have multiple things running or a strong fan is spinning, both of which could inhibit air flow from working properly with your flue.
- Blockage: When parts of the chimney decay, they may fall off and plug up the flue. Having your chimney capped properly is one way to prevent this from occurring. There are other ways to prevent this from happening. Contact an expert today to stop blockage before it is too late.
There are ways to tell if your flue might not be working properly. Look out for these signs.
- Lack of Moisture: If you have condensation on your windows, then that is a great sign that everything is running just fine. If you are having issues and feel that the house is drier than usual, something might be wrong with the furnace.
- Rust on Grillwork: If there is rust on the grillwork, then it is likely that your furnace is not running efficiently. It hints that moist fumes are backdrafting, thus causing the metal to rust.
- Bad Odor: If you notice a nasty smell in your house, it might be time to call an expert. Look for odors right when you enter the home, before your nose can adjust to the existing smells.
- Wells & Sons Chimney Service has the tools and staff you need to ensure that your furnace is in proper working order. Give us a call today! Our technicians are certified professionals who know all the ins and outs of your fireplace and chimney.