UTILITIES : Can’t Feel the Heat? Consider a New Furnace

If winter weather has convinced you that it’s time to replace your old natural gas furnace, the American Gas Assn. offers an excellent booklet titled “Buyer’s Guide: Efficient Gas Space Heating Equipment.”

It discusses high-efficiency furnaces and combination water heater-space heating systems. It also provides work sheets to calculate the pay-back period when you buy a furnace.

To get the booklet, send a note along with a stamped, self-addressed, business-size envelope to: American Gas Assn., 1515 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA 22209, Attn: Consumer Information Department.

The AGA also recommends that you hire a qualified contractor or authorize your utility company to check your heating system once a year. However, you can do the following yourself:

* Remove dust or lint from vents and registers.

* Clean or replace the air filter.

* Inspect your furnace flue for cracks, gaps, condensation and rust.

* Check that the burner is firing with a bright blue flame. A yellow or orange flame can be a sign of incomplete combustion.

* Oil the blower and pump motors that require it (not all do).

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The National Propane Gas Assn. recommends that you have your propane system checked once a year by a service technician. The association offers a free pamphlet explaining what the technician checks for and another pamphlet that pitches the advantages of propane heat. Both are available by writing: NPGA, 1600 Eisenhower Lane, Suite 100, Lisle, IL 60532.

The association says you should do the following to keep your propane gas tank and related systems trouble free:

* Make sure the regulator, relief and fill valves are free from interference or debris. You might want to use a protective cap or dome above the tank to keep it clean. Systems with more than one regulator should be checked to make sure that the exposed regulator vent faces down to keep out moisture.

* Check regulator vents to be sure they are free of condensation. If you find the vent clogged, contact your propane supplier.

* Clear a four-foot radius around intake and exhaust vents for any propane-fired appliance, such as a furnace, water heater or clothes dryer.

As for space heaters, the NPGA recommends the following:

* Schedule a yearly checkup by a qualified service technician. The technician should clean the control compartment, burner and circulating air passageways.

* Maintain adequate clearances around the appliance. A space heater should have a 6- to 12-inch air space on both sides, 4 to 12 inches of space above and at least a 36-inch space in front.

* If the heater is in the garage, it should be mounted where it won’t be backed into or hit accidentally with a car door.