How To Shut Down Your Furnace

Homeowners will do whatever possible to reduce their utility bills. Some even end up putting on warmer clothes, bigger blankets, and turn down the thermostat in order to save some cash during the winter. While it is important to use your furnace system as sparingly as possible to reduce electricity and gas consumption, this doesn't mean you need to live in an uncomfortably cold home. With some basic HVAC maintenance, you can improve the efficiency of your heating system. This could ultimately enable you to save money during the winter without having to sacrifice comfort and coziness.

Cleaning Inside Your Furnace

One of the most important HVAC maintenance tasks is to clean the inside of your furnace. Many people never do this because they are intimidated by working on the furnace because it requires them to turn off their gas and electricity. However, this is actually much easier than you might think, and it is definitely manageable even if you don't have any experience working on HVAC systems.

Shutting Down Your Furnace

First of all, if your furnace has instructions mounted to the actual cabinet, you want to follow these. Many furnace it will have a large sticker that shows that shows the exact shutdown process. Most importantly, the sticker should show you where the important components are, so you know where to find them and how to turn them off.

Almost every furnace will have a similar shut down processes, even though the components might be in a slightly different spot. You start off by turning off the gas. The gas control knob is usually very clearly marked and easy to see near the front of the cabinet. Once the gas is turned off, you need to find the power switch for the furnace. Most furnaces don't have a main power switch mounted directly on the cabinet. Often, the power switch will be located on a breaker box is attached to the wall. You can follow the cord from the breaker to your furnace to make sure it is the power supply.

Cleaning the Furnace

Once your furnace is turned off, it will be ready and safe to work on and inside of. The shut down process usually isn't as difficult as homeowners expect it to be. You don't need any special tools to safely shut down and work on your furnace cabinet. You can get started on the project right away.

For more information, contact companies like Vigil Air.