Your gas furnace and your gas water heater need too be maintained periodically. They need to be maintained by someone who is qualified. That might not be yourself or other maintenance staff. Get somebody who is experienced and qualified. First choice might be the person who installed the equipment. If they aren’t available or appropriate, talk to local qualified heating and plumbing companies. Get recommendations and talk to their references.
Each piece of equipment will have specific items that need maintenance. This will vary depending on manufacturer and model. However a general list of tasks follows:
- Safety Controls
- Thermostat
- Thermocouple and pilot light
- Venting and exhaust
- Burners, combustion chamber and heat exchangers
- Fan belts and blowers
- Safety Controls
- Lubricate motors
- Inspect and replace motors
- Check flame color and combustion
- The maintenance person should check for Smoke, Net Stack Temperature, Carbon Dioxide, Oxygen and Combustion Efficiency
If your system still has a standing pilot light consider replacing it with electronic ignition. This is both safer and will save gas.
Also consider replacing your system altogether. Look for the efficiency of your units. Older units run at 50% efficiency, while newer units run up to 97% efficient. That’s a lot of gas and the installation expense will be offset by the utility bill savings and the increased safety of having a new system.
Here’s a couple of videos that demonstrate what is involved in gas appliance maintenance:
