Like any other furnace, an electric furnace is bound to get dirty, and when this happens, it starts blowing out debris into the air, not to mention overworking, so you end up with a high energy bill at the end of the month. A dirty furnace also keeps developing problems forcing you to keep hiring expensive furnace repair services.
Do you want to prevent this from happening?
You can do it by cleaning the furnace. If this your first time doing it, here are steps on how to clean an electric furnace:
Turn off the power
Everything begins here. Never clean an electric furnace that is still plugged as you risk getting electrocuted. Switch off the power to the appliance and even unplug it from the power line.
To be fully protected, wear the necessary safety equipment such as goggles, rubber shoes, and gloves.
Collect the necessary equipment
You don’t want to remember you forgot an important tool when you are in the middle of cleaning. To ensure this doesn’t happen, gather all the necessary cleaning equipment before beginning the work.
Some of the things you need include: vacuum blower, soft brush, towels, new filter, and screwdriver.
You can rent, buy, or borrow these items.
Read the cleaning manual.
Unless your furnace is old, every furnace has a maintenance manual. If this is the first time you are cleaning the furnace, read the instruction manual and follow the instructions and warnings.
As a rule of thumb, don’t use any products or cleaning tools forbidden in the manual.
Clean the filter
Like in the gas furnace, the filter is one of the most important parts of the furnace, so you need to ensure it’s in perfect shape. Depending on the furnace model, the filter can be disposable or reusable.
The cool thing is electric furnaces show a light when it’s time to clean the furnace filter. If the light is blinking, follow the instructions given in the manual to clean the filter properly. If the filter is disposable, don’t reuse it as you risk damaging the furnace.
Clean the air blower
To clean the air blower, you need first to access it. To do this, remove the cover panel and fan assembly. Some furnaces have slide units, while others might require you to use a screwdriver to unfasten and remove the parts.
After accessing the air blower, use a small brush or toothbrush to scrub away all the dirt there. Clean each blade thoroughly and use a vacuum hose attachment to get rid of the scrubbed dirt.
Clean the motor housing
For the motor housing, you need to wipe it clean. Avoid using water or soap as any water getting into the electric furnace will damage it. Proper cleaning of the motor housing ensures that the furnace functions efficiently and there is no overheating.
Clean and inspect the belts.
Electric furnaces have belts and pulleys that work in tandem with motors to produce heat. Like the other parts of the furnace, you should clean the belts to prevent them from clogging. And doing it doesn’t have to be fancy. Wipe off the dirt with a clean, soft cloth, and you are good to go.
While at it, inspect the belts and, if worn out or torn, replace them.
Ensure everything is dry
Once the furnace is completely dry, restore the power and continue warming up your house. Never turn on the electric furnace if any of the parts are still wet as you risk electrocution and damaging parts of the furnace.
Work with a professional
While it’s easy to clean an electric furnace, it comes with its risk. As we have been mentioning, you risk getting electrocuted. If you don’t want the risk that comes with cleaning the furnace, hire a furnace service Arlington to help you out.
The cool thing with hiring a professional is that in addition to cleaning the furnace, they also will inspect the unit and, if it has any issues, fix them before they get worse.
If this is your first time hiring a cleaning professional, you should know that all contractors aren’t cut from the same cloth, so you should take your time to research and find the most ideal contractor for your project.
