There are a few key items that homeowners must do each year to keep their heating system in good working order. Here are some of the key tips for maintaining your heater. 

Replace Filters

The filter catches impurities before they go into your furnace. With clogged filters, your furnace has to work a lot harder to pump air throughout your home. Replacing the filter is often an inexpensive and easy thing to do, so be sure that you do it at least every few months.

Replace Fluids and Broken Parts

A heating system maintenance contractor will look at things like the fuel levels and the condition of motor belts to determine which of these parts need to be replaced; some of these parts are only designed to last for a few years of heavy use, so they will need to be checked on at each inspection. Thankfully, most of these small parts are fairly inexpensive to replace.  

Clean Out the Combustion Chamber

A furnace may need to have its combustion chamber cleaned out after a year of heavy use. This will help fuel burn more efficiently and save you money on your heating costs. You can do this on your own, but it's often better to hire a professional who works in heating system maintenance to make sure it's done safely. 

HVAC Cleaning

Keeping the HVAC clean is another task that keeps you healthy. Your HVAC system may collect dust, mold and other impurities that are then blown throughout the house. An HVAC maintenance inspection is necessary to clean out ductwork. They will scrub the surfaces and potentially spray a mold killer, if needed, to prevent the spread of these impurities.

Sealing HVAC Cracks

The HVAC may also develop cracks that are important to fix so that your heated air is actually going into your home and not into your crawl space. A contractor will inspect the duct system and seal any connections that are broken or missing. 

These are only some of the potential tasks that need to be accomplished each year; it all really depends on your particular heating system setup. Many homeowners like to have a heating system check up every one to two years to catch issues that are making your heating system perform inefficiently. Or, you could simply be vigilant of the signs that the heater isn't functioning correctly, such as a home temperature that doesn't correspond with the thermostat settings.