Professional Furnace Tune-Up Services
Regular furnace tuning is just as critical as a car’s oil changes. If you don’t have your furnace serviced regularly, the parts experience more wear and tear, get dirty, become less efficient, and leave you at risk of an untimely and aggravating breakdown. Regardless of whether your furnace is making bizarre noises or running fine and dandy, a checkup can help keep your family protected and warm throughout the entire winter.
What does a furnace tune-up cover?
Whatever you use the furnace for, you may experience a hard time when it breaks down. When doing a tune-up, a professional will inspect your furnace from top to bottom and repair any damage so that it stays operational for as long as possible. By regularly having your unit inspected, you can keep it from breaking down, experiencing problems, or needing to be replaced. They also save you money on your heating bill throughout the winter season by keeping your furnace running more efficiently.
During a tune-up, a professional will:
- test the safety and limit switches
- pilot system and/or electrical components
- recalibrate the thermostat
- check for system leaks and tears or gaps in the ductwork
- lubricate the mechanical parts
- clean the major components of the furnace
- test the heating elements
Why is a tune-up necessary?
The reason for cleaning the inside of a furnace is more than just to make it look nice. Clean furnaces operate far more efficiently than dirty ones do. You could even see your monthly energy bills go down after replacing your furnace’s airflow filter and cleaning the coils.
One important step in the tune-up process of your furnace is testing of the pilot system. When the fuel in it is incompletely burned this can be a health hazard for the family. You can find out if your furnace is likely to emit this dangerous gas by contacting a certified professional.
Not only can tune-up save people money on the energy bills they can also save people money on costly repairs. Avoiding annual inspections will likely lead to a more frequent need for repair. The furnace will work harder and thus wear out faster when it has dirty or ineffective parts. Eventually, you’ll get to a point where the parts are too expensive and it’s more cost-effective to replace the unit instead.
Most people don’t think about their furnace until it breaks down in the middle of winter, but the best practice is to have yours serviced before the weather gets cold. A properly maintained furnace will give you an average of 15-20 years of use before it needs to be replaced. If looked after in the right way, they could last for around 30 and even 40 years.
Some furnace warranties may become invalid if the homeowner fails to comply with the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance schedule. This is because there are some companies that will only honor their product’s warranty when it has been regularly maintained. When the parts are dirty, they become ineffective, which means your furnace must work harder.
How should homeowners maintain their furnaces between tune-ups?
In general, furnaces need very little maintenance by homeowners between tune-ups unless something gets damaged or needs repair. There are, however, some ways you can help the longevity of your furnace and have it work more efficiently between tune-ups.
When you have the air filter regularly changed, you maintain the efficiency of your furnace. When there is a filter that is dirty this can lead to a strain on the mechanical parts of the furnace. Experts recommend swapping out air filters at least every three months, especially if you’re a pet owner. Filters are critical not only for the efficient operation of your furnace. They also help reduce toxins, particles, and allergens, helping your family breathe better in your home all year long.
Some people close off certain air vents to try to control the airflow in their home, but that can put too much strain on your furnace, resulting in mechanical damage. Vents that are closed may also cause mold growth in the ducts. In the long run, a closed vent isn’t likely to save you any money since it could cause the furnace to wear out quicker.
Lastly, if the vents that you are using for your furnace are found outside you need to make sure that there is nothing in it that causes airflow restriction. It’s a good idea to have your furnace, including the vents, inspected prior to the beginning of the heating season. If there seem to be issued with your furnace operations, you’ll want to check for these issues before calling in an expert.