A home furnace does a tremendous amount of work in generating heat to warm an entire house. It also has a filtering system that prevents dust from circulating with the heat. If you are somewhat handy with household chores, you can clean the furnace rather than paying for a maintenance house call, which can be costly.
There are three main furnace parts that may need cleaning: 1) the filter system; 2) the blower; and 3) the motor. The filters need to be cleaned once a month in the winter, or you will end up with a much higher gas bill. Plus, a dirty filter makes the motor work harder, thus using more electricity.
There are three different kinds of filters. The disposable kind can be located by removing the access panel or filter drawer in the front of the furnaces. Remove the old filter and take it to the hardware store for matching with a new one. If it is the beginning of winter, you might want to buy half a dozen so you don’t have to make another special trip to the hardware each month. When you put the new filter in, look for an arrow stamped on the edge. That filter should be installed with the arrow pointing to the blower.
The permanent furnace filters are made of foam with a metal frame. This type must be removed and cleaned with a hot detergent solution, and then rinsed. Spray the filter with a non-toxic cleaner that you buy at the hardware store.
An electronic filter has an indicator light that comes on when it needs to be cleaned, or you can automatically clean it once a month. First, turn off the switch on the power supply door and remove the filter. If there is no switch, turn off the breaker at the main power box. Pull the collector cell out by the handle and slide out the aluminum pre-filter. This can be washed in the lower section of the dishwasher. Or you can put the filter in a washtub with enough hot water to cover it and a half-cup of automatic dishwasher detergent. Let it soak for twenty minutes and then scrub with a brush. Rinse and let dry before putting it back in.
To clean the blower you will have to turn off the electrical power to the furnace and remove the front access panel. Most fan units mount inside the blower housing on tracks, held in place by setscrews. Loosen the setscrews and slide out the fan assembly. You might have to disconnect the motor wiring. Use hot, soapy water and a toothbrush to clean each blade of the squirrel cage fan and wipe it dry with a cloth. Then use a vacuum to suck up loose dirt and dust.
Now you can vacuum and damp-wipe the blower housing and motor. Make sure you don’t get water inside the motor. Be sure to clean all the little vent holes on the motor. Check belts and pulleys to see if they are worn or have cracks. Put it back together, reversing the steps used to disassemble it. Wait until it is good and dry before turning the furnace back on.
Following the cleaning, you can literally breathe easier, knowing your furnace is doing a better job unhampered by dirt and dust.
