Fall Furnace Prep Checklist for Iowa Homes

• Replace the filter. Start heating season with a fresh one; a restricted filter overheats the heat exchanger and trips safeties on the coldest nights.
• Test carbon-monoxide alarms. One on each floor and near sleeping areas, per Iowa fire-code guidance. Replace CO detectors older than 7 years — the sensor degrades.
• Clear the return grille. Rugs and furniture that migrated over the summer choke the intake.
• Look at the exhaust vent outside. High-efficiency furnaces sidewall-vent through PVC. Confirm the intake and exhaust are clear of leaves, wasp nests, and mice. Snow will bury them in January — you'll want that pipe already at a clear line.
• Bump the thermostat to heat. Confirm the furnace fires. Listen for anything that sounds new: rumbling, delayed ignition, or a "boom" when it lights (called a rollout — that's a service call).

Furnace inspections aren't optional the way an AC tune-up sometimes is — a failed heat exchanger can leak carbon monoxide into a sealed home. A real fall inspection includes: burner condition, flame sensor cleaning, heat exchanger inspection (visual + CO test), gas pressure at the manifold, blower amps, and safety-control verification.

On Amana equipment, that annual documented inspection is part of what keeps the parts warranty enforceable.

• Keep the thermostat at a steady setback (a few degrees below occupied) — deep setbacks force the auxiliary heat or a very long recovery.
• Open interior doors to help air movement — closed rooms freeze at Iowa design temps.
• Trickle cold-water faucets on north-side walls if pipes have frozen before.
• If the furnace stops during a hard freeze, treat it as an emergency — freezing pipes cost tens of thousands to repair. Call us; we run 24/7 emergency answering for a reason.