Free from Dave Hartzell
My Fall Furnace Checklist
4.8 stars, 300+ Google reviews
Every October the phone lights up on the first cold night, and a lot of those calls turn out to be a packed filter, a thermostat still on COOL, or a breaker that tripped back in July. Here are the checks that are safe for you to do yourself, and the ones to leave to me.
- Thermostat on HEAT. Set it to HEAT and a few degrees above the room temperature. If it takes batteries, put fresh ones in now.
- Look at the filter. Pull it and hold it up to the light. If you can’t see through it, replace it. Never run the system without a filter, not even for a day. If you don’t have a new one, leave the old one in or shut the system off and call me.
- Open the vents and returns. Walk the house. Every supply vent open, and nothing parked on top of a return: no rugs, beds or couches.
- Check the breaker once. Make sure the furnace breaker is ON. If it’s tripped, reset it one time. If it trips again, leave it off and call me.
- Test the carbon monoxide alarm. Press the test button and put in fresh batteries. You want one on every sleeping level and one near the furnace.
- Clear around the furnace. Keep about three feet clear. No boxes, paint, gas cans or cleaning chemicals stored next to it.
- First fire-up: listen and smell. A light dusty smell for the first few minutes is common while summer dust burns off. If it keeps going, or it smells like gas or hot wiring, turn it off at the thermostat and call me.
How often to change the filter
The filter is the one thing that heads off the most no-heat calls. Check it monthly in heating season.
| Your house | Check or change every |
|---|---|
| No pets | 30 to 90 days |
| One pet | 30 to 60 days |
| Several pets, allergies or asthma | 20 to 45 days |
Arrow on the filter points toward the furnace. Never run the furnace without a filter, even for a day. If you have no spare, leave the old one in until you get one.
Stop and call me if
- The breaker trips more than once
- Water on the floor near the furnace or a drain backing up
- An electrical or burning smell that doesn’t go away
- Little or no air coming out of the vents
- A code or flashing light on the furnace
- The burner flame looks yellow or orange and flickers instead of steady blue
- Any part of the furnace has been under water. Do not run it.
If you smell gas or the CO alarm goes off: do not flip switches or use a phone inside. Get everyone out, then call 911 and your gas company from outside. Call me once they have cleared the house.
Leave these to me: anything behind a furnace panel, the burners, the gas valve and the wiring. That is licensed work, and it is exactly what a tune-up covers.
No CO alarm yet? My techs carry carbon monoxide and smoke detectors on the truck. Ask on any visit and they can install one before they leave.
What I do on a furnace tune-up
I inspect the heat exchanger and the flue, clean the burners and flame sensor, check gas pressure, test every safety switch, check the blower and its motor, and measure temperature rise and carbon monoxide at the furnace. You get the readings in writing.
Questions people ask me
How often should a gas furnace be serviced in Oklahoma?
Once a year, in early fall before the first cold snap.
How much is a furnace tune-up in Kingfisher Oklahoma?
$229 on the weekday you pick, 7am to 3pm. On my One Visit Spring or Fall 360 plan it is $199 a year. The Spring and Fall 360 plan, $360 a year, covers the furnace in fall and the AC in spring.
Can I clean the flame sensor myself?
No. It sits in the burner compartment on the gas side. That is licensed work, and it is part of every tune-up.
Why does my furnace smell like dust the first time it runs?
Summer dust burning off. It should clear within an hour. A smell of gas or hot wiring is different: turn it off and call me.
How often should I change my furnace filter?
Every 30 to 90 days with no pets, more often with pets or allergies.
My standalone furnace tune-up is $229, weekdays 7am to 3pm. Or get the visit with my One Visit Spring or Fall 360 plan, $199 a year.
Hartzell’s Heat & Air, 602 S Main St, Kingfisher OK. Master HVAC License, NATE Certified, 4.8 stars on 300+ Google reviews.