The Value of Annual Furnace Maintenance

As the temperature dips and you find yourself reaching for the thermostat more often, you should also reach for your phone to schedule annual furnace maintenance. Ensuring your furnace runs optimally this winter enhances your comfort, safety and peace of mind all season long.

Here’s more about what this crucial annual task involves and why you shouldn’t neglect it.

What Does Furnace Maintenance Involve?

A maintenance appointment is a surefire way to get your heating system up to par. Although the particular tasks depend on the design and age of your system, you can usually expect your technician to do the following:

• Examine and clean the burner: Over the years, dirt and debris can block the burner, affecting its performance. Cleaning it restores optimal heat transfer.
• Test the gas valves: Ensuring these valves are fully open and operating properly is crucial for safe furnace operation.
• Check the heat exchanger: A cracked heat exchanger can cause carbon monoxide leaks, so it’s essential to check that no cracks are present.
• Review and tighten electrical elements: Loose connections can make your furnace unsafe and inefficient. Fortunately, tightening them is a fast and easy process.
• Clean the blower: A grungy blower impacts your furnace’s ability to move warm air through your home. Cleaning and balancing the fan makes certain that your home has optimal airflow.
• Change the air filter: Clean air filters enable proper airflow throughout your system, which is why you should always replace a clogged air filter in your furnace. Installing a clean, new air filter also increases indoor air quality if you choose an effective filtration system.

Reasons to Schedule Regular Furnace Maintenance

If your furnace looks like it is running fine, is it still beneficial to schedule a maintenance tune-up? Here is why that’s the case:

• Reduce mid-season failures: Nothing is worse than waking up on a freezing winter morning to discover your furnace has stopped working. Mid-season breakdowns are aggravating and can leave you scrambling to find a quick fix. Annual furnace maintenance reduces the chance of unexpected problems because your technician examines every part of your system, catching minor issues before they grow into costly repairs.
• Reduced repair costs: It’s a simple equation—the sooner you find a problem, the less expensive it is to repair. By investing in affordable, predictable maintenance visits, you can avoid high-priced, inconvenient repairs, keeping more money in your pocket.
• Increase your furnace’s life expectancy: Like a well-maintained car, a furnace that receives annual tune-ups will probably last longer than an unattended heating system. Annual maintenance helps prevent the expense of premature furnace replacement by increasing your system’s life span.
• Increase energy efficiency: A well-maintained heating system operates smoothly and efficiently. When all the components are clean and in good working order, your system doesn’t have to work as hard to keep your household warm. This reduces your heating bills and cuts down your environmental impact.
• Enhance indoor air quality: Polluted indoor air worsens allergies and respiratory diseases. The air filter in your furnace traps dust, pollen and other airborne irritants to reduce these issues. During a maintenance visit, the heating professional will change the air filter at your request, ensuring cleaner air flows through your home.
• Boosts safety: A furnace that needs repair is not only inefficient, there’s a chance it also might be dangerous. Cracked heat exchangers or broken gas valves can cause dangerous carbon monoxide leaks. Knowing your system has been examined for anything that could be dangerous should give you a sense of comfort this winter.

What Season Should You Schedule Your Maintenance Visit?

To reap the most benefits, it’s best to arrange annual furnace maintenance in the fall before winter’s chill gets to your area. This gives you time to make sure any issues are resolved before you begin relying heavily on your heating system.

DIY Furnace Maintenance Between Formal Visits

Though professional maintenance is important, you can complete several tasks yourself to make sure your furnace operates smoothly between visits:

• Replace the air filter every 30 to 90 days to optimize airflow.
• Keep all return and supply registers open and unblocked for system balance.
• Vacuum the outside of the furnace with the brush attachment to make sure it stays clean.

Choose Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing for Furnace Maintenance in the U.S.

If it’s time for your next furnace maintenance tune-up, Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing is a heating and cooling team you can trust. Our ACE-certified technicians provide fast, long-lasting fixes for all your comfort dilemmas. We’re proud to deliver solutions to everyone we can and are dedicated to making a significant difference in your everyday life and sense of comfort. We even provide a 100% satisfaction guarantee for your peace of mind. To make sure your furnace is ready for cold weather, call 866-397-3787 today to schedule furnace maintenance with Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing.