How To Clean Your Furnace Blower
Running your HVAC system could make up a large percentage of your utility expenses. If your home heating bills are getting higher and higher, you might want to look at your HVAC system to see if you can reduce your bills. There are several ways you can improve the efficiency of your HVAC system. This article looks at one of the most effective ways to improve the functionality of your furnace. By cleaning and maintaining your furnace blower, you can often reduce your monthly bills.
Power Down the Furnace
The furnace blower is located inside the main furnace cabinet. Most furnace cabinets have just one access panel or door that can be opened. Before you open this door, turn your thermostat to the off position. Once you remove the door, look for the gas control knob. Twist the gas off immediately. At this point, you can also turn the power off to the furnace. If there is not a designated power switch or breaker box, you might need to find the coordinating breaker switch at the main panel. At this point, it should be completely safe to work on your furnace blower. The gas and electricity will be turned off, so you won't risk having the system power on while you are working on the blower.
Cleaning the Furnace Blower
You can clean your furnace blower just a couple of wet rags and a vacuum. Start by vacuuming all of the surfaces. The vacuum should remove most of the dust from fans blades and all of the surface inside the blower compartment. However, you should pay close attention to the output duct. This is where the air is blown into your duct system. This junction is often tapered or has a step-down conversion piece that could be a problem area. For instance, dust can get caught here and slow down airflow into your ducts. The vacuum should be able to suck any of the blockages right out.
However, there is probably going to be some dust and dirt inside the blower compartment that won't vacuum up easily. If this is the case, you will need a wet rag to wipe it away. Wiping down the fan blades is useful, but you might as well wipe down every surface that you can reach, just to make it as clean as possible.
With a clean blower, you can maximize your airflow and improve the quality of the air that is coming into your home.