Do I Need to Turn off My Furnace in Spring?

When spring arrives, you start to think about all the things that you need to do to prepare for the summer months ahead. It’s time to spring clean your home and tidy up the yard. It may also be time to arrange a tune-up for your AC system. If you experience any problems, you may need an AC repair service.

You may also be wondering when to turn off the heat in spring so that you can save money on your energy bills. And there appears the big question, is turning off the furnace a right decision? There is no simple yes or no answer to this; there are pros and cons to consider.

Is Turning the Furnace Off a Good Idea?

Spring is the time of year when many homeowners think about shutting off the furnace in their home, as the warmer weather arrives. If you are one of those homeowners who is wondering when to turn off the heat in spring, you should start by deciding whether you should turn off your furnace or not.

Pros of Turning Off the Furnace

There are several advantages to be gained from turning off your furnace when spring arrives.

• You can save money. If you are looking at how to reduce energy costs then turning off your furnace could be part of the answer. You could save $50 or more by doing this.
• You use less energy in your home. Energy usage is a big deal when it comes to protecting the environment. Turning off your furnace may not make a massive impact but it’s a small contribution that you can make.
• Once the furnace is turned off, there is no way that your home can be heated inadvertently until it’s turned back on again. This makes it easy to maintain the temperature in your home throughout the summer months.

Turning off your furnace is not all good news. There are also some disadvantages to consider.

Cons of Turning Off the Furnace

If you are thinking of turning off the furnace in your home, you should think about these potential negatives.

• Your furnace may not be easy to access. If this is the case, you may be best advised to leave the furnace on or to hire a professional to turn it off for you.
• Just because spring has arrived does not mean that it will never be cold. The weather can be unpredictable. This means that you may want to keep your furnace on through the spring and turn it off as summer approaches.
• A furnace can encounter problems if it’s turned off. These problems include the build-up of moisture which leads to rust forming. Corrosion can also happen, due to a build-up of water and soot. This can shorten the life expectancy of the furnace. A dormant furnace also attracts a build-up of debris and insect activity. This debris can prevent the furnace from functioning when you try to turn it back on.

In the case of the last of these potential negatives, you can guard against potential damage and the build-up of debris by cleaning your furnace and making sure that it’s well-ventilated. If you decide that your furnace should be turned off, you need to know how to do it.

How to Turn Off a Furnace

The first thing that you need to do, if you want to know how to turn off a furnace is to read the instruction manual for your furnace. This will provide you with all the information you need, in detail. In most cases, the steps to turn off a furnace are very similar. If you are turning off a furnace that has a pilot light you should:

• Make sure that the thermostat is at its lowest setting.
• Wait until the heating cycle has ended.
• Turn the power switch to off.
• Turn the shut-off valve on the pilot light clockwise so that the supply of oil is cut off.
• Turn the shut-off valve on the fuel tank clockwise to turn it off.

If there is no pilot light on the furnace, you simply need to skip this step. It’s possible to turn a furnace off by simply using the emergency shut-off switch but this is not a good idea as it’s useful to get to know how your furnace works.

What to Do When a Furnace Won’t Turn Off

If you find that your furnace won’t turn off, this could be due to many different issues. For instance, the thermostat temperature setting may be too high or there may be a problem with the air filter. The problem may even be due to a loose wire.

You can try to troubleshoot the problem yourself, or you can speak to an expert in furnace repair in Las Vegas. They can take a look at your furnace, deal with the problem and make sure that your furnace is turned off until you need it again once the summer is over.

Business Name – Elite Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning

Address:  3085 E Post Rd, Las Vegas, NV 89120, United States

Phone Number: 702-263-2665