Some experts say up to 75% of no-heat calls in the winter are related to a lack of maintenance. Left unserviced, a furnace can stop working suddenly, leaving your family in the cold. And, if a repair technician determines your system failed due to lack of routine maintenance, then you could be stuck with the full repair bill.
During winter, the furnace is one of the most critical components in your home. A properly maintained system will deliver maximum heat output without wasted energy, or the risk of harmful emissions.
If you defer maintenance for too long, however, your furnace could become costly to run, harmful to indoor air quality, or even break down when you need it most.
More importantly, it can be a health hazard. A furnace checkup can reveal carbon monoxide leaks, which are hard to detect due to the gas’s lack of color and odor. Carbon monoxide can lead to headaches, dizziness, nausea, and even death. An estimated 500 people die each year – and 15,000 are taken to emergency rooms – due to carbon monoxide exposure.
In particularly unsafe situations, your furnace could be “red-tagged,” meaning it can’t be activated until repaired.
The coldest nights always seem to present the perfect opportunity for a spontaneous furnace failure. You can prevent this situation from happening by being proactive and conducting your furnace maintenance before the temperatures start to drop.
HVAC professionals suggest having your furnace checked at least once every year to ensure optimal functionality. Manufacturers recommend each side of your system be inspected and serviced annually – AC in the spring and furnace in the fall.
Furnace manufacturers often require annual maintenance to be performed by a qualified technician. Warranties usually include verbiage indicating any damage done to the unit due to a lack of maintenance will not be covered.
Maintenance technicians follow a checklist to cover all the key elements when servicing your furnace. During a typical furnace inspection and cleaning, you can expect the technician to:
- Check thermostat settings to make sure the system is running properly.
- Inspect electrical connections and test voltage on the system components to prevent any future component failure.
- Lubricate moving parts.
- Inspect the condensate drain for any obstructions.
Between annual maintenance visits, the most important thing you need to do to ensure the longevity and performance of your furnace and air conditioner is regularly changing your air filter.
Dirty filters can:
- Restrict airflow, putting additional strain on the fan motor. After time, this can make your motor burn out, your system overheat, or your equipment fail. Forcing your fan motor to overwork uses more energy, and can raise your utility bill by 5–15%.
- Drastically reduce your indoor air quality, aggravating allergies and asthma.
- Clog ductwork with debris, decreasing your equipment’s life span, and leading to costly repair or replacement expenses.
Unless you’re regularly changing your filter like recommended, your furnace filter was likely replaced when it was last inspected. However, it should be replaced every 1-3 months, unless otherwise instructed by the furnace manufacturer. Homes with smokers or pets will likely need to change their filters more regularly than other households.
Set a date on the calendar after your HVAC cleaning so you can easily remember when you should change the filter. Some homeowners stay on top of things by changing the filter the first day of every month.
In addition to the filter, you should keep the area around your furnace clean and free of obstructions, especially combustible materials. This allows your furnace to run properly and avoid potential damage to the unit, its performance, or your home.
An annual furnace inspection and service, along with your regular maintenance between service visits, will prolong your system’s lifespan. Just like changing your car’s oil, annual service is a necessary part of HVAC care.
With the help of a certified HVAC technician from Flader Plumbing and Heating, you can extend the life of your HVAC system and help prevent major breakdowns, save energy, and decrease health risks. Your family will stay warm and cozy in the winter and comfortably cool in the summer.
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