Winter may be going full strength right now, but in a few short months, spring will arrive. When it does, you'll want to be ready to put your furnace to bed. If you're like most people, your furnace shut-down procedures including turning the system off and forgetting about it until the temperatures turn cold again. Unfortunately, that's the worst thing you can do for your furnace. To help your furnace recover from a long, cold winter, here are four steps that will need to be taken before you shut down the system this spring. 

Inspect

If it's been a while since your furnace was serviced, the first thing you need to do is schedule an inspection. Beginning your shut-down procedures with an inspection will ensure that your furnace didn't sustain any damage during the winter. Extreme weather can play a significant role in mechanical breakdowns, especially when your furnace is operated around the clock during the winter. Some of the problems that can plague your furnace during the winter include cracked and damaged fan belts and gaskets, broken furnace blowers, and faulty thermostats. A thorough inspection will identify those problems. 

Repair

If your inspection identifies defects and damages, don't wait to get the repairs. Instead, have your service technician schedule those furnace repairs right away. If possible, have them taken care of during the service call. That way, you know that they've been addressed. Waiting until next winter to address problems may leave you without heat should the weather turn cold prematurely. Not only that, but furnace repair companies tend to get busy as soon as the cold weather arrives. 

Clean 

Once the necessary repairs have been handled, have your furnace repair technician provide your furnace with a thorough cleaning. Your furnace might have collected a lot of dirt and dust over the winter. Unfortunately, allowing the dirt and dust to settle onto your furnace until next winter is a good way to damage it. To make sure the dust and dirt don't have a chance to settle into the system, and to ensure that your furnace is ready when winter does arrive again, insist on a thorough cleaning before you shut your heating system down. 

Lubricate

Finally, after your furnace repair technician has taken care of the inspection, repairs, and cleaning, you'll want to finish off the project with a fresh application of lubricant. The moving components of your furnace can suffer significant damage if left exposed throughout the spring and summer. The best way to avoid the damage is to ensure that your furnace is properly lubricated prior to shutting it down for the season.