Carbon Monoxide Danger

• The furnace is equipped with a system that separates dangerous exhaust gas filled with carbon monoxide from the clean air that you breathe. This system is called the heater exchanger and is actually a series of ducts arranged to allow the air to be blown through them, while the exterior surface is heated. You should check the heat exchanger system for rust, cracks or deposit buildup. The furnace should be replaced if you find any major cracks or holes.
  
  

Dehumidifying Effects

• The delivery of warm air into your house via the ducts used with a gas furnace system can dry out the air in your home. The dehumidifying effect of a gas furnace can increase the risk of respiratory problems and scratchy throats to warped wood. You can alleviate your health problems caused by dry air by investing in a humidifier.
  
  

Free Air Flow

• Convection is the process by which the supply of air feeds the gas flame of a furnace that provides heat to your home. Free air flow is vital to efficient performance from the furnace. This means you should make a habit of cleaning out the interior of the furnace with a small vacuum. You especially want to keep dust from blocking the burner throats and the shutter openings.
  
  

Peak Efficiency

• Your gas furnace can remain operating at peak efficiency for decades if you get a professional to service the burner and clean the fuel passages every three or four years. You should also take the time to check the burner flames a few times a year. If you notice the flame has turned yellow since your last inspection, ask your gas company to send someone out to adjust the air-gas mixture.
  
  

Misconceptions

• The concept of saving money by lowering the thermostat of the furnace at night may actually be something more akin to urban legend. Allowing the house to get colder overnight while you warm yourself courtesy of blankets and long johns may actually result in the furnace having to work harder than it should in order to get the house warm again come morning. One of the “1001 Do-It-Yourself Hints and Tips” offered by the editors of Reader’s Digest is to avoid lowering your thermostat overnight by more than 10 degrees if you want to actually conserve energy.
  
  

Troubleshooting

• Several signs point to a troubled furnace that is going to require the services and knowledge of a professional. Problems you need to keep an eye or ear out for include chronic short cycling in which the furnace kicks on for a much shorter time than normal before shutting off gain. If you hear any rumbling sounds like you might hear in a friend’s steam heating system, call in a repairman. A collection of soot can indicate a problem with the burners or possibly a cracked heat exchanger.