Furnace maintenance for do-it-yourselfers

Dear Jim: I have my old gas furnace serviced every two years. With gas prices so high now, I want to do some simple maintenance myself to reduce my heating bills. What can I do without harming the furnace? – Michael P.

Dear Michael: Gas and propane prices will be at record highs this year, so even small improvements can save quite a lot. Since the furnace blower and ducts are used by your central air conditioner, you also will reduce your cooling bills. Even if you do your own periodic tune-ups, they should not preclude regular service by a technician. You won’t have the testing equipment or the know-how to do it all yourself. Although furnaces are safe, they burn a flammable fuel which can be hazardous if something malfunctions. There is more you can do yourself to maintain an older gas furnace with open burners than on a new condensing furnace. With your older one, check the combustion air inlet for soot. This may indicate improper combustion.

Also, look in the opening. The flames should be blue and steady, not yellow and dancing. If you notice any of these problems, call a technician immediately because these can lead to carbon monoxide hazards.

On any furnace, put a couple of drops of soapy water on each of the gas line fittings. Dishwashing liquid works great. Small gas leaks, even ones too small to smell (odor chemicals are added to natural gas), will cause the soapy water to bubble up. Tighten any leaky fittings and test them again.

The wall thermostat is an integral control component of your heating and cooling system. Buy an outdoor thermostat at your home center store. Select one which shows the same temperature as most others to get an accurate one.

Tape it up to your wall next to the thermostat to check if it actually starts the furnace at its set temperature. If it is off, you may have always had your house hotter or cooler than you thought and this wastes energy. If you can snap the cover off the thermostat, gently clean away any dust from inside. Switch off the electric power to the furnace and remove the blower cover. Clean off as much dust as possible with a vacuum cleaner brush attachment. Wipe the blower wheel with a damp cloth. Wear gloves because sheet metal often has sharp edges. Also change or clean the furnace filter.

Inspect the blower motor for tiny oil holes at each end over the bearings. Just a drop or two of oil in each of these is all that is needed. When you replace the cover, make sure it is seated properly and the screws are tight to minimize air leakage. Carefully inspect the ductwork for leaks. You want heated air to get to rooms, not leak out in the basement, utility room or attic. Seal leaky spots with duct tape or a spread-on sealer. Gorilla Glue, (800) 966-3458, has the most sticky tough tape I have used. Make sure the duct dampers are set for winter and the damper to the humidifier is open.

Dear Jim: I have a double-wide wood garage door. Whenever it is damp outside, the garage opener opens it only 18 inches. I have to try several times to get it open. What is causing this and how can I fix it? – Shar E.

Dear Shar: There are several possible causes of this problem which can be fixed. The wood door may swell when it gets damp and this may cause it to bind somewhere. Inspect it carefully for any tight spots and lubricate them. The torsion springs on the door may be weak. When the door is damp, it is heavier. Try adjusting the “force” screw on the opener to give it more opening force. Don’t try to adjust the torsion spring yourself. This can be dangerous.

Send inquiries to James Dulley, Bangor Daily News, 6906 Royalgreen Dr., Cincinnati, OH 45244 or visit www.dulley.com.