As the colder weather approaches, you’re likely getting ready to flip on the heating system in your home to ward off the chilly temperatures. What happens if your furnace isn’t ready when the time comes? If you haven’t scheduled your annual heating maintenance yet this year, you may find yourself chilling in your home until you have service performed. To stay ahead of this problem, you need to schedule maintenance now so you’re ready when the cold days arrive.
What Is Annual Maintenance?
Annual maintenance is an essential preventative service designed to keep your heating system in top shape while saving you money over the course of your homeownership. During maintenance, our technicians comb through your system thoroughly, making sure it’s ready for the colder temperatures of winter. Let’s dive in and take a look at some of the different steps our technicians take when performing maintenance and tune-up services.
Visual Inspection
A visual inspection of your heating system allows our crew to spot signs of damage and premature wear and tear that can cause your furnace to come to a grinding halt. When we inspect your system, we look for issues that may require repairs so we can get you on the schedule before the cold settles in.
Lubricate Moving Parts
There are a number of moving parts inside your heating system that work together to create heat and force it through your ductwork. These parts may become worn if not properly lubricated. Our technicians know which parts move and which require lubrication, helping reduce stress and extreme wear and tear inside your furnace.
Inspect Utility Connections
Your heating system relies on electricity to operate and has wiring connected to your home’s power source as well as in areas inside the furnace. Our technicians inspect all wiring to ensure it is intact and not frayed, which poses a risk of fires. We also ensure the wires are securely connected to avoid losing power to your furnace.
If you have a gas furnace, we’ll also inspect the gas hookup that connects to your system. It is critical to ensure this hookup is secure and leak-free. Gas leaks are a hazard to your health and could lead to explosions and fires.
Test Safety Functions
Many heating systems have safety controls that help prevent operation when a malfunction is detected. Our technicians test these safety functions while performing maintenance to ensure they work as they should. In some cases, continued operation with faulty components or hazards can create catastrophic damage to your system or even your home.
Ensure Adequate Airflow
Hot air pumps from your furnace, through the air ducts, and into your home via the vents in each room. Our crew assesses the quality of airflow in your home by turning on the furnace and seeing how well your home heats up. If vents are blocked, it may be an indication of obstructions inside the ducts which require professional cleaning. However, if you have weak airflow or no flow at all, you may have a problem inside your furnace that requires further investigation and repair.
Stop and Listen
Your heating system should be mostly quiet while it runs, with only a slight electrical hum and blowing noise as air is forced into the ductwork. Loud banging noises are cause for concern and our technicians will take a closer look to find the source. If you hear loud and unusual noises, you need a professional right away before you continue using your furnace.
Check for Strange Smells
We’re probably all familiar with the faint burning smell that comes up the first time we fire up the furnace in the fall. That smell is created as dust and debris heat up inside your furnace and air ducts. It should wear off quickly, and you should find no odors beyond that when using your furnace to heat your home. If you continue to smell foul odors from the furnace, you should immediately call for professional assistance. As part of annual maintenance, our technicians will check for strange smells to ensure your system is working as it should.
Calibrate Thermostat
The thermostat that controls your heating system does so by recording the temperature in your home and adjusting it accordingly based on your selected temperature. Our technicians check the accuracy of your thermostat during maintenance, ensuring the device matches the temperature of the room it is in. We may also check to ensure the proper placement of your thermostat. It should be in an open area and away from vents and heat-creating appliances, which can cause the thermostat to inaccurately measure the temperature.
Benefits of Annual Maintenance
Now that you know how maintenance works, it’s time to understand why the service is important. There are several benefits of annual maintenance, each one aimed at saving you time, money, and discomfort.
Lower Risk of Unexpected Failures
When we spot problems early, we reduce the risk of unexpected breakdowns that happen in the middle of winter. This boosts the reliability of your system and helps lower the odds of you needing emergency repairs.
Increased Efficiency and Lower Costs
Tuning your furnace helps keep the system in better shape. This leads to more efficient operation since the furnace isn’t working as hard to create a warm environment inside your home. The decreased workload means lower heating costs throughout the winter, helping you save money on your utility bills.
Longer Life Expectancy
A well-maintained heating system lasts longer than one that is neglected and overworked. Most systems last 10-20 years before giving up. With annual maintenance, you may find your system living to the upper end of this range, giving you more years of life from the system. Over the course of your time in your home, these added years could equal one or two complete replacements, saving you thousands of dollars in the long run.
Improved Air Quality
Finally, a maintained and tuned heating system is a clean system. With the removal of excess dust and debris, you’ll find cleaner air inside your home, allowing you to breathe a little easier.
Get Maintenance From the Best
When it comes to prevention, you need experts you can count on to have your heating system in its best condition. At Goettl's High Desert Mechanical, our technicians are highly trained to know and understand exactly how heating systems work so we can provide the highest quality of service. In addition to maintenance, we offer expert repair and replacement services for additional help in maintaining home comfort. Rounding out our HVAC portfolio, our technicians also offer boiler, geothermal, and heat pump services. In other areas of home services, we have a crew of experienced plumbers to help with plumbing repairs, drain cleaning, and installation of plumbing fixtures. We also provide ductwork services, zoned systems, and indoor air quality equipment and service.
As your dedicated and trusted HVAC provider, count on us to provide the best heating maintenance in the Camp Verde area. When you’re ready to get a jump start on your heating system, call Goettl's High Desert Mechanical.
