Whether you own a residential property or a commercial space, you should take care to properly maintain your furnace. Commercial furnaces may need more attention because they are used more. They are built to have more of a demand placed on them and they need a little more attention than residential furnaces may need. You also may have more people and businesses who rely on the commercial furnace so you have more people requesting service if there is a problem.
The good news is that if one of your responsibilities is to monitor and maintain a commercial furnace, there are some things you can do to keep it running healthily and happily. Here are some tips to keep your unit running smoothly:
- Remember to take the appropriate safety precautions. Safety needs to be a top priority when you are talking about furnace maintenance. The first thing you need to do when you are going to do anything with or around commercial furnaces is to shut down any electrical power going to the unit or any fuel that it may use. You should also make it a point to get to know the commercial furnaces that you are working with. You need to know where the switches are and how to shut off the electrical power and fuel before there is an emergency. It is always more challenging to find these during a crisis.
- Pay close attention to the air filters. It does not matter if you are talking about commercial furnaces or residential furnaces, keeping a close eye on the air filters is a key part of keeping them running properly. The frequency with which you have to change out the filters depends on a lot of factors but you should check them at least once every 30 days. Typically, if you have filters that are not disposable, you will need to clean them every 30 days. Generally, disposable filters only need to be replaced every 90 days but if you find that yours are getting clogged and dirty more often, you should replace them more often. When you let your filters get to be clogged with dirt, dust and debris, your furnace ends up working a lot harder. That means it is less efficient and heating the space will cost more. It also leaves the unit more vulnerable to breaking down. Clogged filters can also be a fire hazard. Remember, it is much less expensive to replace a filter than buy a new commercial furnace.
- Pay attention to any unusual odors. You should pay attention to your furnace. Both residential and commercial furnaces can experience gas leaks, which are incredibly dangerous. If you think you may have one, you will need to shut down the gas supply right away. After that, you need to contact a professional maintenance company for commercial furnaces to help you deal with the problem.
- Keep the area around your vents clear. You never want to have anything leaning up against the vents or blocking them. When air pipes, exhaust vents or other points where air flow is needed, are blocked or obstructed in any way, there can be a host of problems that can ensue. Just keep these areas clears to keep your furnace running well.
- Check on your thermostat. If you have an older thermostat that is not digital, you should consider an upgrade. New thermostats can be programmed to keep a space comfortable when you need it to be but not when no one is around. If the commercial furnace you need to watch is for a retail space, you may not need to keep it as warm at night when no one is around. Newer thermostats can be programmed and monitored from remote locations. You can also set different areas on different schedules. This can make the system much more energy efficient. You should keep an eye on your thermostat to make sure it is operating correctly.
- Have your unit checked by a professional at least once a year. No matter how diligent you are, you still need a professional furnace contractor or company check the unit every year.
These tips should help you keep your commercial furnace healthy and happy.