As we reach the tail end of Autumn, home owners will begin testing their furnaces for winter, making sure things are tuned-up and ready to go for the cold nights ahead. A pro tip for maintaining your furnace is to make sure the Fall leaves don’t build up, causing a block in your intake/exhaust.
Your furnace will either have a chimney or PVC pipes (polyvinyl chloride pipes) for intake and exhaust purposes. Furnaces with a lower efficiency (an AFUE rating of 89% and under) will have a chimney, and furnaces with a higher efficiency rating (that is, an AFUE of 90% and higher) will have PVC pipes on the outside of the home.
Leaves gather a lot of moisture early in the morning which allows them to stick together. They can form a layer of blockage within your intake and exhaust piping which would cause the furnace to stop working. The best way to prevent blockage as much as possible is to rake your leaves often and keep an eye out for leafy furnace clogs. Ensure that you always shut off your unit before you attempt to clean out any trapped leaves.
If you run into any issues or need a hand in cleaning out your furnace clogs, give R&R Heating & Air Conditioning a call at 509.484.1405. We’re happy to provide any needed maintenance and demonstrate how you can safely and properly remove any blockages your chimney or PVC pipes in the future. For more HVAC tips, visit our blog.