I turned on my Furnace

[daveamkrayoguy]

Yes September 6, 2025 at about 6:05 am, I could not stand the cold of the coming winter’s chill!

Set at a hearty 74° & judging from the acrid odor coming from a usually cooling HVAC, maybe I need to replace the filter…

— Dave

 

[qsd-dan]

Normal to have that dust burning scent on the first go around. Still, not a bad idea to check the filter. I check the filters on a monthly basis.

 

[phillymatt53]

Normal to have that dust burning scent on the first go around. Still, not a bad idea to check the filter. I check the filters on a monthly basis.

Luckily, my home furnace is a hydronic system - hot water to the radiators in the house.
The Crown boiler was installed in 2002 a few years before I moved in, and has been great.
The only barely noticable sound from it when running is the Taco circulation pump.
No filters to worry about.

 

[vacerator]

Good to start it to test before you really need heat. I change or vacuum the 20x16x5" filter and inside the compartments and blower spring and fall. I oil the air intake inducer motor shaft with light oil, and pour a cup of Vinegar and water down the condensate drain. Keep spare batteries on hand for the thermostat.

 

[phillymatt53]

Good to start it to test before you really need heat. I change or vacuum the 20x16x5" filter and inside the compartments and blower spring and fall. I oil the air intake inducer motor shaft with light oil, and pour a cup of Vinegar and water down the condensate drain. Keep spare batteries on hand for the thermostat.

Yes it's always good to confirm proper operation beforehand.
Usually in mid October I'll check and bleed the radiators in to bleed any air out, then give the system a test run.
I also put fresh AA batteries in the thermostat as part of the procedure.
On occasion, I'll pull the burner access panel off and vacuum any dust accumulation - but I rarely see anything down there.
Never any problems so far.