D-I-Y Maintenance Tips Thread

[Ken Scharabok]

My electric furnace went out a couple of weeks ago. Circuit breaker OK. Service guy found a bad fuze, replaced it, $56 service call. It it happens again I now know to pull all four fuzes, take them to the local plumbing/electric supply place and have the fuzes tested. If all test good, then call service guy.

Does anyone have other helpful D-I-Y maintenance tips to share?

[mustangsally17]

http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/home_improvement

[Wisconsin Ann]

We have a VERY dusty Victorian house. Fairly large, with two big dogs who have free access to the yard. SO....lots of dirt and dust circulating all the time.

A few years ago the gas furnace simply stopped working. Electrical was fine. The pilot light would pop on. But when it tried to start heating...nothing. no heat. We thought plugged gasline, burners, etc.

What had actually happened was the dust from the air intake had accumulated in the water evaporation tube mechanism and clogged it up. The sensor detected no airflow and POOF! no heat. It was hard to get at, hard to take apart, and hard to put back together. 4 hours later (and a lot of swearing) it was cleaned out and the furnace was fine.

If we'd kept the air filters changed once a month there would have been NO problem.

I've also been putting filter material over the air intakes in the various rooms. It amazes me at the amount of dirt they collect every month.

[Ross]

All you need to test a fuse is a continuity tester, most cheapy multimeters have one. If there is continuity through the fuse its good, no continuity and its blown.

[Jim Bunton]

Buy a pack of extra fuses. Change them out one by one if the power comes back on it was the fuse. If the same circuit goes again you should try to find out why.

Jim