Heating System

The heating system installed in your home will provide you with many years of comfort if given proper care and maintenance.

Furnished Home
The heating system design was planned with a furnished home in mind. If you move in during the cooler part of the year and have not yet acquired all of your draperies and furnishings, the home may seem cooler to you than you would expect.

Thermostat
The furnace will come on automatically when setting the temperature at the thermostat registers below the setting you have selected. Setting the thermostat to a higher temperature will not heat the home faster.

Thermostats are calibrated to within plus or minus 5 degrees.

Manufacturer
Good maintenance of the furnace can save energy dollars as well as prolong the life of the furnace itself. Carefully read and follow the manufacturer’s literature on use and care. The guidelines here include only general information.

Troubleshooting
One of the primary reasons that a furnace does not work is the pilot light is off. This, however, is not the only reason. First, the furnace has an on/off blower switch. This switch looks like a regular light switch. It is located in a metal box outside the furnace. This switch simply overrides all furnace commands and manually shuts down the blower. This is usually only done when maintenance service is being performed. Young children have been known to turn the furnace off using this switch.

There is also a fuse directly above the on/off switch. This fuse is an S12, S10 or S0 fuse. It is there to absorb any spikes in the line such as a close electrical strike or power surges. Unlike old fuses that burn out and are easily detectable, these fuses, similar to automobile fuses, have a spring in them that depresses when tripped. Unless you have examined these quite carefully before, it may be hard to determine if the fuse has “blown”. We suggest that you buy some extra fuses to have should the need for a new one arise.

The lower panel must be positioned correctly for the furnace blower to operate. This panel compresses a button that tells the blower it is safe to operate. If this panel is not on tightly, the fan will not come on.

Note: If your furnace is a high efficiency furnace, there is no pilot and no “on/off” switch.

Furnace Pilot
If your furnace pilot does not ignite automatically, you need to manually insure it is lit. To light the furnace pilot, first remove the cover panel to expose the pilot. Then rotate the on/off/pilot knob to “pilot”. When the knob is in this position, the red button can be depressed. While depressing the red button, hold a match at the pilot. Once the pilot lights, continue to hold the red button down for 30 to 60 seconds. When you release the red button the pilot should stay lit. If it does not, wait several minutes to allow any gas to dissipate from the furnace area and repeat the entire process again. If the pilot stays lit, rotate the on/off/pilot knob to the “on” position. Reinstall the cover panel.

These instructions can also be found on a sticker on the furnace and/or in the manufacturer’s literature.

Filter
Remember to change or clean the filter monthly during the heating season (all year if you also have air conditioning). A clogged filter can slow air flow and cause cold spots in your home. Although it takes less than one minute to change the filter, this is one of the most frequently overlooked details of normal furnace care. Buy filters in large quantity for the sake of convenience. The size of your filters are 20” x 30”.

Adjust Heat Vents
Experiment with the adjustable registers in your home to establish the best heat flow for your lifestyle. Generally, heat can be diminished in seldom used or interior rooms. This is a very individual matter and you will need to balance the system for your family.

Return Air Vents
For maximum comfort and efficient energy use, place furniture and draperies to allow unobstructed air flow from registers and cold air returns.

Trial Run
Have a trial run early in the fall to test the furnace. (The same applies to A/C in the spring). If service is needed, it is much less inconvenient to discover it prior to the heating season.

Temperature
Normal temperature variations from floor to floor (depending on the style of home) can be as much as 10 degrees or more on extremely cold days. The furnace blower will typically cycle on and off more frequently and for shorter periods of time during severe cold spells.

Do Not Overheat
Your new home should not be overheated. Overheating can cause excessive shrinkage in framing lumber and may materially damage the home. In the beginning, use as little heat as possible and increase it gradually.

Odor
It is normal for the heating system to emit an odor for a few moments when it is first turned on after an extended period of not being used (such as after the summer months if you do not use air conditioning). This is caused by dust that has settled in the ducts and should pass very quickly.

Combustion Air
Furnaces that are installed in basements have combustion air vents run to them. Never cover these or block the cold air in any way. Outside air is needed to supply the furnace with sufficient oxygen. Blocking the combustion air vent will cause the furnace to draw air down the vent pipe and pull poisonous gases back into your home.

Ductwork Noise
Some popping or pinging sounds are the natural result of ductwork heating and cooling in response to air flow as the system operates.