Fall is a favorite time of year for many of us.  The cooler weather brings a welcome relief from the heat and humidity of summer.  Trees provide us a spectacular display of color, and we finally get a break from the summer lawn maintenance work.

Speaking of maintenance, here are the TOP 4 FALL FURNACE MAINTENANCE TASKS you need to perform on your heating system right now.

1) Check your furnace filter:  The inexpensive, basic fiber-stranded filters need to be replaced once per month, while the large, fan-fold media filters have life expectancies typically ranging from 3 to 6 months (check your filter manufacturer's suggested replacement interval).

2) Make sure that your home's cold air returns and warm air registers aren't blocked:  Blocking these vents cause your furnace to work harder and can result in it overheating and/or damaging the blower system.  Both of these problems can result in expensive repairs.  Make sure your furnace can breathe freely this fall and winter.

3) Check your thermostat:  Some thermostats run on batteries, so ensure that they don't need to be replaced.  Check the temperature setting, and set it to the lowest temperature that is comfortable to you.  Consider upgrading your thermostat to advanced technology that provides energy-saving modes, remote control and monitoring of your heating system.

4) Have a certified HVAC technician clean and test your furnace's safety systems:  A competent HVAC technician will do more than just clean the dust from inside your furnace.  He will check the burners, safety systems, blower system and help ensure that your system is running reliably and at peak efficiency.  It's the safe and energy-smart thing to do.

To schedule annual, preventative maintenance on your heating system, or to discuss upgrading your system to a more reliable, super-efficient Armstrong furnace, call Jon's Plumbing and Heating today at 740-392-5667.