Consistent maintenance for your furnace is important to avoid expensive complications in your home heating and cooling system. Your furnace functions more efficiently. However, in most cases, people forget the last inspection date of the furnace. So how often do you schedule furnace maintenance and servicing?
We have created this guide to answer all queries related to furnace maintenance.
All furnace manufacturers recommend annual maintenance be performed by a qualified HVAC technician. There is also diction in the warranties highlighting that any damage incurred due to lack of maintenance will not be eligible for coverage.
Before we get to the details of when you should clean and maintain your furnace, let’s understand the benefit of following a regular maintenance schedule.
6 benefits of regular furnace maintenance and servicing
Furnaces keep your home warm and cozy during the cold season by dissipating heat within the living spaces. Here are a few benefits of following a regular furnace maintenance schedule.
Effective and efficient home heating
The goal of your furnace system should not be restricted to providing heat. It should also ensure even heat distribution. Cold spots during the winter season can be incredibly frustrating, and a well-maintained and serviced furnace system will never create a cold spot.
Cleaning and calibration done by specialists improve airflow and temperature detection resulting in the correct degree of heating and proper distribution.
Reduces your energy costs
A furnace contributes to almost 50% of your energy expenses. The expenditure can be significantly more, especially if you live in a region with extreme and prolonged winters. Regular furnace maintenance can be a saviour in such situations.
A well-maintained furnace will use less energy for operation and offer better efficiency. In fact, recent studies have suggested that you can enjoy almost 30% savings by regularly maintaining your furnace. Introduce a Wi-Fi-enabled or programmable thermostat to make your winter abode comfortable without burning a hole in the pocket.
Simple maintenance works, such as replacing filters, will enhance your savings. Clean furnace filters will help your interior environment achieve the desired temperature without skyrocketing energy bills.
Clean filters also ensure adequate airflow, which minimizes the requirement for frequent expensive repairs that occur when the furnace encounters excessive load.
Extended lifespan
Seasonal maintenance involves a wide array of examinations, innovations, and testing to understand if the system is performing correctly or not. An experienced technician can make minor repairs and adjustments to increase the lifespan of your furnace.
Lubricating the moving parts to reduce friction, cleaning the condenser drain to remove accumulated dirt, evaluating the unit’s starting performance and capability, and other servicing procedures keep your furnace well-oiled.
It prevents deterioration from regular wear and tears. Thus, your furnace will keep running smoothly for many years to come.
Prevents unexpected breakdowns and expensive repair
A broken heating system can instantly ruin the merry mood of the holiday winter season. Regular preventive maintenance ensures you rarely encounter any significant heating system breakdown. It keeps your HVAC system in pristine shape.
Schedule preventive maintenance before the winter season sets in, and you regularly need to use the furnace. Avoiding preventive maintenance could lead to costly and frustrating issues such as:
- Water leaks
- Frequently shut-downs
- Carbon Monoxide leakage
- Furnace dissipating cold air
- Exorbitantly high electricity bills
Carbon monoxide leakage can be a potentially fatal health hazard.
Healthy air quality
Furnace tune-up and servicing instantly boost the air quality. This is because servicing and clean-up remove the dust, debris, mould, and pollen that accumulates in the HVAC filters.
These accumulated contaminants blow unhealthy and polluted air into the house until it’s cleaned out, a component of standard furnace servicing.
Improved security
Safety should always be your top priority. Therefore, from a safety point of view, comprehensive furnace maintenance involves removing safety features and possible concerns. Maintenance activities such as cleaning and adjusting the burner assembly, ignition assembly, inspecting safety controls, electrical wiring, and removing old unnecessary air filters to ensure safety.
With thorough maintenance performed by experts, you can enjoy a cozy winter evening without worrying about potential safety hazards.
When should you schedule your annual maintenance?
HVAC experts suggest scheduling professional furnace maintenance before the winter months set in to ensure smooth operation and prevent it from breaking down when you require it most.
An annual furnace evaluation and maintenance will prolong the furnace’s lifespan, save energy costs and reduce health risks.
- Schedule preventive furnace maintenance once a year.
- Plan for duct cleaning and maintenance at intervals of 3 to 5 years to ensure smooth operation
Following the yearly maintenance schedule is enough to ensure proper functioning. However, you might require more frequent servicing in the following conditions:
- Have an older furnace,
- Have a large family, expansive rooms, or some pet dander in your home,
- Have breathing-related health problems such as asthma or COPD
- Furnace showing visible signs of damage or poor performance.
What’s included in annual furnace maintenance?
Here are some elements of general furnace maintenance and servicing followed by technicians:
- Inspecting the thermostat settings to ensure the system is properly running
- Assessing electrical components and connection and testing voltage flow on the system components to avoid expensive repairs.
- Lubricating the regularly moving parts
- Assessing the condensate drain for any accumulation or obstruction
Signs that your furnace requires maintenance
Some signs clearly indicate that your furnace needs expert attention. These include:
- Visible dirt & debris accumulation
- Dirty filter
- Yellow furnace flames
- Furnace requiring frequent repairs
- Visible furnace water leakage
- Frequent furnace turns on & off
- Frequent cold air blows
- Excessively high energy bill
Conclusion
Stop postponing! Schedule your maintenance today with a reputable furnace servicing company and enjoy great benefits. Do research before hiring an HVAC company to ensure you get the best heating and cooling system services! Make sure you do not just opt for the cheapest service provider. A furnace involves a considerable investment, and you wouldn’t want to risk potential issues down the line just to save a few bucks. Thus, hire an experienced professional, even if that means shelling out a few extra bucks.