is your attic well-ventilated?

Having a fully functioning heating system in your home means you don't have to worry about the icy weather and freezing cold of the winter season. Your residential heater will blow hot air to neutralize the plunging temperatures, allowing you to keep comfortably warm. That said, it is easy to take your home's heating system for granted until issues start cropping up. By this time, you could be facing major heating problems that may lead to high repair bills.

Here are some heating maintenance tips you can use if you rely on a forced-air heater to keep your home warm and cozy in winter.

Air Filter Changes

Like central air conditioners, forced-air heating systems rely on air filters to deliver clean air to interior living spaces. Air filters do exactly what their name suggests — filter out contaminants from the unheated air that enters your heating system so that the heated air that comes out is clean. A clean air supply is essential for keeping you and your family healthy.

Over time, your home heater's air filters become dirty from normal use and will need to be replaced. Failure to replace your air filters on a regular schedule will impede proper airflow, thus affecting the performance and efficiency of the heater.  

Thermostat Checks

Your residential heater has a thermostat that helps you regulate your winter indoor temperatures. Without it, you'd have no way of dictating how warm your house should be in winter. 

While thermostats are not regular wear items, they can become faulty from normal use. For this reason, it's a good idea to inspect and test your thermostat from time to time to confirm that it is working correctly. 

If you discover any problem, you should get the thermostat repaired or replaced, depending on the kind of problem identified.

Ductwork Inspections And Cleaning

Forced-air heating systems stand out from other home heating options in that they use ductwork to keep a home toasty. Unheated air enters the heating system via the return-air ducts and comes out via the supply-air ducts. Ductwork refers to the conduits that connect to the supply-air ducts. Its job is to transport conditioned air from your heating system to your entire house.

Periodic inspection and cleaning of the ductwork are necessary to keep your heated air clean while maximizing the efficiency of your heater. If any signs of damage to the ductwork are detected, they should be addressed immediately.

The secret to keeping your residential heating equipment running at its peak and avoiding costly repairs is to take heating maintenance seriously. While the specific maintenance tasks that will need to be performed vary depending on the particular type of heating system you have, certain maintenance duties may apply to all home heaters. If you need to schedule a heating system maintenance visit for your home, get in touch with an HVAC contractor, such as Allied Mechanical & Electrical, Inc. today.