Why You Need a Fall Tuneup On?
One of the most effective ways to keep your furnace working properly and to extend its life is to perform preventative maintenance and cleaning tasks on it on an annual basis. The most common way of doing this is to have a fall tune-up done on the system each year.
Many companies, such as Lloyd HVAC Services, can do this for you via a prearranged planned maintenance agreement. Homeowners should view regular maintenance tune-ups the same way they view tune-ups and oil changes on their vehicles. A furnace also consists of moving parts such as belts, motors, and pumps which need to be inspected, cleaned and adjusted to keep them going.
A fall tune-up on a furnace will typically look after the following tasks:
- Check the system for the presence of Carbon Monoxide (CO).
- Inspect the condition of the combustion chamber and heat exchanger.
- Inspect the burner flame for the proper characteristics and clean the burner.
- Inspect and clean the ignition/pilot light and all electrical connections.
- Check and inspect all motors and belts and lubricate the blower motor and bearings.
- Inspect the vent pipe to the chimney as well as for gas leaks.
- Remove all scale and dust from the furnace’s burner compartment and other areas.
- Inspect the pilot safety or flame sensor timing and replace the thermocouple if necessary.
- Inspect the blower wheel, filters, and air flow.
- Restart the furnace and inspect the operational sequence including the thermostat and safety controls.
Keep Your Warranty Valid
As well as extending the life of the furnace, a fall tune-up will keep your warranty validated. This is because some manufacturers may deny coverage or void the warranty of the unit if it isn’t professionally maintained by a certified HVAC company.
A tune-up will also provide a healthier and safer living environment for you and your family. Oil, propane and natural gas are considered to be fossil fuels and they omit combustion gases when burned. These can contain some harmful substances such as methane, carbon monoxide, and sulfur dioxide. It’s important that the furnace exhausts these gases properly by sending them outside of the home.
However, they may escape into the residence due to things such as a cracked heat exchanger and this is why it’s important to have the furnace inspected on a regular basis.
Extend The Life Of Your Unit
The chances of your furnace breaking down will also be greatly reduced with an annual fall tune-up. Most HVAC systems have a habit of breaking down when they have to work a little too hard. A unit could fail if its running time is extended and is filled with dust or dirt. Regular preventative maintenance is designed to extend the life and efficiency of the furnace as well as save you money in the long run. This can be achieved by keeping the energy costs down which is the result of a furnace operating at optimum capacity.
Along with having a professional HVAC company attend to your furnace each year, there are also a few things each homeowner can do. It’s important to keep flammable items and materials away from the furnace and keep the outside of it as clean as possible. You should also change the air filter on a regular basis and make sure the thermostat works properly for both heating and air conditioning.
Electronic and electrostatic filters can be washed while disposable fiberglass filters should be replaced about every 12 weeks. The system’s air flow can be slowed down by a dirty filter which will make the furnace work harder and increase energy costs. It’s also important to have one or more carbon monoxide detectors placed in your home and tested regularly.
Get Started With a Furnace Tuneup
Nobody wants to have their furnace break down on the coldest day of the year, so it’s recommended that you keep it in good shape with an annual fall tune-up. For more information on furnace maintenance and anything else related to HVAC services please feel free to contact us at Lloyd HVAC to speak with one of our HVAC professionals.