Maintaining your furnace properly is vital for the performance and longevity of the appliance. The manufacturer's warranty may even require the furnace to be serviced on a schedule. An important part of a service call is cleaning the furnace to get rid of dust, soot, and other dirt and buildup. Here's a look at some parts of your furnace that need to be cleaned regularly.

The Furnace Housing

You can keep the outside of the furnace free from dust by wiping it with a damp cloth regularly. This may cut down on the amount of dust that gets sucked inside the furnace. If you feel comfortable doing so, you can remove the outer panel and use a vacuum to remove dust from the inside of the furnace. Don't open the inner door where the components are located and always turn off the power first. If you don't feel comfortable opening your furnace, leave cleaning the inside to a professional, since you'll need to call a professional to clean the components anyway. The furnace cleaning company may use a vacuum, compressed air, an emery cloth, and scrub brushes to clean the inside of the furnace housing and the furnace parts.

The Blower

The blower is an important furnace part that needs to be cleaned regularly. If dust builds up on it, then your furnace can overheat and shut itself down. Cleaning it requires pulling the blower out of the furnace while being careful not to disturb wiring or counterweights. The blower has to be scrubbed clean evenly or the blower won't be balanced. Cleaning a blower cage can be tricky and something you probably want to leave to a furnace cleaning service.

The Burners

The burners should be checked and cleaned by a professional. They may have rust spots or buildup on them that needs to be removed. This can be done by scrubbing the burners. However, if burners are rusted, then they may need to be replaced rather than cleaned. Burners need to be aligned properly, which is why you don't want to clean them yourself. Also, work on the internal components of your furnace should be done by a professional to prevent voiding your warranty.

The Heat Exchanger

Buildup can be scrubbed off the heat exchanger. Cleaning this part of your furnace is important so it can be inspected visually for cracks and tiny holes. Your cleaning service might even use tools to test for leaks in the heat exchanger. A cracked heat exchanger can be a serious problem since it allows carbon monoxide to leak out, so regular maintenance of this part of your furnace is important.

For more information, contact a furnace cleaning service.