Furnace Maintenance

Generally, furnace maintenance should be done once a year. It is best to do it before the cold months, with early fall being the most suggested time. The furnace has gone through a summer's worth of neglect and needs a good looking over. A service guy from a HVAC (heating/ventilating/air conditioning) company can give it a comprehensive check. He's worth the money because trying to do what he does in the time he does it would be very difficult for the average Joe.

There are many ways to tell that your furnace might need a pro's touch. If you're hearing any unusual sounds—like banging, squealing, or rattling—these could indicate a mechanical issue within the system. Similarly, if the furnace isn't heating consistently or seems like it might be struggling, or if you're seeing an uptick in your energy bills, that's a pretty clear sign. And of course, if you smell something funny, see reduced airflow, or just an overall appearance of distress, that's another key moment where your furnace will want a doctor's visit.

Regularly replacing furnace filters is an essential first step to take in order to have an efficient furnace. This is normally done every 1-3 months, and it definitely needs to be done if you are going to have an efficient furnace that operates at top capacity. There are several other things you can do to help ensure that your furnace is operating efficiently. One of those things is checking your home's insulation.You also want to make sure that you don't have any air leaking out of your house and into the cold outdoors. Leaks around windows and doors can be a big problem. If you're not sure where to look, you can find many suggested spots online, and you can also do a classic candle test.

There are several essential steps to maintaining a furnace in a comprehensive manner. Technicians will inspect and clean the components that are key to the furnace's function and performance, including the burners, the heat exchanger, and the blower. They will examine electrical connections and ensure that safety controls are functioning properly. Key measurements—of system performance, airflow, and overall efficiency—will be taken, and moving parts will be lubricated. They will also ensure that the thermostat is properly calibrated and that the furnace is in good condition overall.

A furnace that receives regular maintenance and is not poorly manufactured has a lifespan that falls, on average, between 15 and 20 years. Any number of variables can affect where within that range a particular unit lies, including but not limited to initial quality, how it is used, how often it is seen to, and even the conditions of the environment it's located in. If your furnace is around 15 years of age, it would be wise to begin planning for its possible replacement.

Older or poorly maintained furnaces can leak carbon monoxide, and this is a safety concern. Dangerous gases can escape into the living spaces of a home, and cracked heat exchangers can allow the gases to flow out. The health risks posed by inc. CO are severe, and that's one reason why the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers CO to be a "very harmful" air pollutant. Although regular inspections by qualified technicians can catch likely problems before they become dangerous, some homeowners don't have their furnaces inspected on a regular basis. Installing CO detectors and ensuring proper ventilation are essential and relatively easy safety practices for nearly all homeowners.

Homeowners can take care of certain simple maintenance tasks, such as filter changes, but keeping a furnace maintained requires a professional touch. The types of upkeep that a furnace needs goes beyond most people's skill levels and into that of the HVAC technician. And this is a good thing, because attempting to maintain a furnace at too high of a level can lead a DIYer to make potentially warranty-voiding mistakes.

Furnace upkeep by skilled hands usually runs between $80 and $300. Where you live and how much "service" your furnace demands can make for some pretty big price variations. Some HVAC firms offer plans you pay for on an annual basis, and these can sometimes make each individual service call less of a hit on your checkbook. It's poor practice to run a furnace that isn't energy-efficient, and in terms of energy efficiency, a furnace that's just been serviced is as good as gold.

When you choose an HVAC maintenance service, make sure the professionals you are dealing with are licensed, insured, and have great local references to back them up. Check them out online; get positive reviews that your service is worth doing business with? Ask friends and neighbors for recommendations, and pay attention to any potential red flags that come up. You want to ensure the company you’re hiring has experience working with the exact model of furnace that you have. And don’t hesitate to ask for details about the maintenance procedure and the qualifications of the technicians who will be doing the work. A good company will answer all your questions without any hesitancy.

Maintaining a furnace is like keeping a car in good shape. You take it in for services on a regular basis, and if you don't, it will eventually have a lot of little (or big) problems that cause it to not work the way you want it to. The difference in a furnace is that it can have a lot of serious problems (or not work at all) if components are dirty, lack lubrication, or are not properly calibrated. And a furnace that is less than totally fit will burn more fuel and emit more greenhouse gases.