Now that winter is on its way you need to ensure that you and your family stay warm. To do this, you need to make sure your furnace is in good condition. Fortunately, there are many things you can do on your own, but others you need to hire a professional to do. Below are three tips on things you need to inspect.

1. Check Filters 

If the filter in your furnace is dirty, the air that flows through the filter will pick up the dirt and debris and get into the air inside your home. This will cause allergies with people that are susceptible, as well as create dust on surfaces inside your home.

A clean filter will help your heating system work better, which can cut costs. This is because the furnace will not run as much as it will reach the right temperature in the home much quicker if the filter is clean. Look at the filter once a month and if it looks dirty replace it.

2. Check Vents and Ducts

Look at each air vent in your home to see if there is any dust. If you can see the dust you can use your vacuum cleaner hose attachment to get the dust out. Just as with the filter if you leave the dust in the vents the dust will get into the air. If there is a lot of dust built up the furnace will find it harder to push air through the vents. This will affect the performance of your furnace and reduce the life of the furnace.

If there is dust in the vents, then there is likely dust in the duct work also. This is something you need to hire a professional to clean. They have the right equipment to do this job much quicker and easier than you could do on your own.

3. Inspect the Blower Belt

Before you inspect the blower belt, you need to power off the furnace. To do this, turn the circuit breaker off for the furnace. Also turn the power switch on the furnace off. There is an access panel on the side or back of the furnace that you can remove. The access panel door generally slides open, or it may be screwed onto the furnace housing. Once the door is removed, you will see the blower belt.

Inspect the belt for any cracks or any kind of deterioration. If you see any, then you need to remove the belt and replace it. Refer to the furnace owner's manual on how to do this.

Contact an HVAC contractor to provide maintenance to your furnace once a year. This will ensure it works well for you.