![\"furnace-flames\"](\"https:\/\/www.firstchoiceheat.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/gas-burners-blue-300x194.jpg\")
It\u2019s the first week of spring! That doesn\u2019t mean the weather will instantly turn warm, of course. But it does signal the start of making plans for the coming change in weather. We strongly recommend using the time to schedule maintenance for your air conditioning system so it\u2019s ready to go on the first day of hot weather.<\/p>\n
But when air conditioning systems turn on, does that mean furnaces should turn off? All<\/em> the way off? That\u2019s a good question.<\/p>\n Not all homes are built with the same level of insulation, so it\u2019s possible you may live in a house that can get drafty during cold weather\u2014even a cold evening. Temperature can<\/em> get down into the 50s during the evening in the main months of summer here, and for older homes that may be enough to make it necessary to turn on a furnace. If this is the case, then you shouldn\u2019t turn the furnace off for the season. Set the thermostat so the furnace will only come on if the temperature drops to around 50\u00b0F. (On thermostats that run both the heater and AC, make sure the system is switched over to \u201ccool\u201d and the furnace won\u2019t turn on.)<\/p>\n If you don\u2019t see any reason why you\u2019d need the furnace over the summer, your decision whether to shut it off for the season will be based on what kind of furnace it is. If it\u2019s a natural gas furnace that uses a standing pilot light to ignite the burners, then we recommend you shut it all the way off by turning off the gas to it. If you don\u2019t do this, the pilot light will continue to burn throughout the summer, which is a waste of gas.<\/p>\n If you have a natural gas furnace that uses an electronic ignition system, which is what most modern furnaces use, then the system won\u2019t consume any extra gas over the summer. It\u2019s fine to simply stop using the furnace if this is the case rather than shut it off entirely. The only exception is when you plan to be away from your home for an extended period of time (more than a week), in which case it\u2019s safer to have any gas appliances shut down entirely.<\/p>\n By the way, none of this applies to an electric furnace. You need electricity no matter what, so there\u2019s no reason to shut down an electric furnace. Simply stop using it.<\/p>\n There\u2019s one more thing we have to bring up, and that\u2019s a furnace that\u2019s malfunctioning. If you\u2019ve noticed your furnace acting oddly or if its performance has declined in any way, don\u2019t shrug it off because you soon won\u2019t need it. A furnace shouldn\u2019t end the heating season with a repair need. Please call for furnace repair in Brighton, MI<\/a> from our professionals as soon as you notice problems. We\u2019ll make sure your furnace is ready to go the next time you need it and prevent any safety issues.<\/p>\nFirst, do you ever have a need to turn the furnace on during summer?<\/h3>\n
Does your furnace use a standing pilot light?<\/h3>\n