HVAC work can definitely be intimidating. Homeowners are usually a little overwhelmed by the gas components of their HVAC system. That is, they might be skeptical to work on certain appliances, because they aren't familiar with different shut down and safety procedures when it comes to working with gas lines. In reality, most serious electric and gas work within your HVAC system does need to be professionally done. However, some simple repairs and cleaning can be easily done by homeowners, even if they have little to no experience with HVAC. This article shows exactly how to shut down your furnace, so you can safely work on it.

Accessing Your Furnace Cabinet

The first thing you need to do is open up your furnace, so you can access the inside of the cabinet. This is where all of the vital components are. If you are going to clean the inside of your furnace cabinet, you should turn off both the gas and electricity.

Turn Off the Gas, Electricity, and Thermostat

The first thing you do, once you have removed the access panel, is turn off the gas. There should be an easy to see gas control knob that you twist to the authorization. You should be able to easily tell if the gas is turned off, because the pilot light will extinguish. At this point, the electricity is still on. You want to turn the electricity off, so the furnace doesn't power on any of the components. Most furnaces do not have a power switch mounted directly on them. There is usually a designated breaker mounted to the wall nearest the furnace. If there isn't, then you just need to find the breaker for the furnace at the main breaker box. You should also make sure your thermostat is turned to the off position.

With this these safety cautions, you can rest assured that your system is not going to start up while you are cleaning inside the furnace cabinet. When it comes to turning your furnace back on, after everything is clean, it is simply a matter of reversing the steps. Turn the electricity back on. Then, you will need to light the pilot switch. Most pilots will have instructions on how to light them. The difficulty depends on whether you have a self-igniting pilot, or if you have one that needs to be lit using a match. Regardless, it is very simple. Especially if you follow the instructions mounted on the furnace.

For more information, talk to companies like Airwaves Heating & Air Inc.

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