What to Expect During Your Next Furnace Maintenance Service
Having your furnace tuned up just ahead of the winter season is a great way to ensure optimum levels of efficiency and reliable performance. These visits can improve your indoor air quality (IAQ), keep your furnace warranty intact and extend the overall lifespan of your heating equipment. If you’ve just set up furnace maintenance service for your home in the Greater Detroit area, here’s what you can expect.
The Maintenance Checklist Issued by Your Furnace Manufacturer
If your home furnace or boiler is still covered by a manufacturer’s warranty, you’re likely required to schedule professional furnace maintenance once every year. This is a condition that’s necessary for keeping your warranty intact. Not only are you required to ensure that this service is both professionally handled and properly documented, but you should also verify that it includes all the steps your manufacturer has specifically required. You can refer to your original warranty agreement or your owner’s manual to know what these steps are. However, any licensed technician who’s familiar with the furnace or boiler brand and model that you own will already be knowledgeable about meeting these demands.
Although HVAC professionals have a detailed checklist of points that they’ll cover when providing these services, you can always request to have additional services supplied. This is a great time to ask questions about your ductwork and to request duct cleaning services if necessary. If you’ve just moved into existing construction and are having an older furnace maintained, scheduling a comprehensive cleaning of both the furnace and the entire air delivery system will give you a truly fresh start.
General Guidelines for Professional Furnace Maintenance
Professional furnace maintenance includes all the maintenance steps that homeowners cannot complete on their own. This appointment will start with a comprehensive inspection of all internal and external components, and it will include thorough cleaning of the unit both inside and out. When damaged or worn parts are identified, these will be pulled and replaced with genuine parts from the furnace manufacturer.
Not only will your technician review, clean and replace furnace parts as needed, but multiple adjustments and calibrations will also be made across the entire unit. All moving parts will be lubricated, and everything will be tested for assured performance once the work is done. By the time your HVAC technician leaves, your furnace will be more efficient, higher performing and even quieter when in operation. Your technician will have:
- Inspected the entire vent system and all air grills
- Removed all blockages from the air distribution system and other passageways
- Checked for signs of corrosion or damage at the heat exchanger
- Removed all debris from the blower motor
- Tested all electrical connections
- Replaced any old or damaged electrical wiring
- Inspected the flame sensor and burner
Although most homeowners can inspect and change their HVAC air filters on their own, complete furnace maintenance will also include the installation of a new air filter. If you have indoor air quality concerns or if you have someone with a chronic respiratory condition living in the building with you, you may even get a recommendation for an air filter that is rated better and performs at a higher level. This is also a good time to ask questions about air purification systems, IAQ support and humidifiers or dehumidifiers if you need them.
Your Older Furnace May Require a Little Additional Work
While newer furnaces have electric ignition switches, many older furnace models still have pilot lights. If you have an older, gas-fired furnace in your home, your maintenance service will additionally include an inspection of the fuel lines to check for possible leaks. The unit’s gas pressure will be checked and tested. So will the pilot light, thermocouple, and gas burner. This portion of your maintenance service will largely be about ensuring the safety of your equipment. As gas furnaces age, the risk of leaks and other dangerous issues increases. This is especially true with older furnaces that have pilot lights.
As your technician conducts this portion of your furnace inspection, you can ask for a demonstration of how to relight your pilot. This way, if your pilot light ever goes out, you can safely and confidently light it on your own. If you have any other troubleshooting questions, you can get detailed answers to these as well.
Thermostat Inspection and Calibration
Inspecting, testing, and calibrating the thermostat are all essential parts of this service. After all, the thermostat is basically the brains of the entire operation. If this component is not reading temperatures accurately, your heater may not turn on when it’s needed. If you have an older thermostat, your provider can recommend a newer model with greater capabilities. Upgrading this component during your maintenance service is an easy way to lower your home energy bills, reduce your carbon footprint, and increase your overall home comfort.
Getting Ready for Your Furnace Maintenance Appointment
Before your HVAC technician arrives, take a moment to clean out any clutter around your furnace or boiler. To avoid fire hazards, always keep a reasonable amount of clearance between your heating system components and books, bookshelves and other household or personal items. Create a clear walkway throughout the home that’s wide enough for a technician to pass through while carrying any necessary maintenance equipment and tools. Make sure that your thermostat is accessible and that all air registers and vents can be safely accessed. Limiting trip-and-fall hazards and making it easy for your provider to reach each of the heating system’s components will expedite these services and make everything easier for everyone.
Why Home Furnace Maintenance Is So Important
Taking good care of your furnace will help it last longer, perform better and more thoroughly meet your needs. In addition to providing warm air when the outside weather grows cold, this equipment can filter your indoor air and regulate indoor humidity. With fewer accumulations of dirt, dust, and other debris on its internal and external parts, it can efficiently deliver clean, fresh-smelling air throughout all areas of the building. Well-maintained furnaces are less likely to emit burnt, dusty smells or make bothersome noises when in operation. They’re also a lot less likely to break down.
These visits give HVAC companies the opportunity to catch and correct minor problems before they become much larger. Worn, bent or otherwise damaged parts can be removed and replaced early. With all moving parts properly lubricated and calibrated, your home heating equipment will sustain far less wear and be subjected to a lot less stress. Best of all, these visits will always be documented. Should warranty repair issues ever arise, you can easily provide proof to your furnace manufacturer of annual heater maintenance. These documents will show that you’ve upheld your end of your warranty agreement.
C & C Heating & Air Conditioning in Roseville, MI, has been providing reliable HVAC services all throughout the Greater Detroit area since 1948. These include both heating and cooling installation, repair, and maintenance. We also service water heaters, offer duct cleaning services and supply top-rated air purification systems. To set up an annual furnace maintenance appointment, call us now.
