Furnace Maintenance Paradise

The basic maintenance tasks essential to the operation of a furnace in Paradise require the attention of a qualified technician. The first task is to ensure that the furnace filter is clean and free of debris. If the filter is reusable, it must be cleaned in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. If the filter is a disposable type, it needs to be replaced with a new filter after every cleaning of the furnace. The next task is to ensure that the motor that drives the fan (often called the blower motor) is clean and operating correctly. The next most important task is to make sure that the temperature control device (the thermostat) is clean and functioning properly. This certainly gives the impression that if the thermostat is out of commission, the furnace will not get a signal to work or will work too hard or too little. The burner assembly requires the technician's close attention. To keep the assembly in good shape, the technician performs a close inspection and cleaning (if necessary) at each maintenance interval. The technician also performs a visual inspection of the heat exchanger for any apparent signs of damage.

In Paradise, furnace maintenance can usually be counted to cost around $100 to $200. That's the range you'll find when you shop around for the service. Some companies even provide plans for annual maintenance, which is really just their way of getting you to commit to more payments over the course of a year. The plans do serve one purpose, and that is to have more of your money.That said, there are services that might not be in your best interest to pay for.

Usually, the part of a furnace that costs the most to repair is the heat exchanger. When it cracks or gets damaged, it's more likely that it'll need replacement rather than just repair, and that leads to some steep costs for parts and labor.

A furnace's perfect location for maintenance is in a well-ventilated area with technical access for the people who keep it in top working order. Furnaces require that much space around them because they are designed to work hard, and they exhaust a fair amount of heat. Typical service and repair might involve adjusting burners, replacing faulty ignition systems, or cleaning out the combustion chamber, and those tasks are best accomplished in well-lit, unobstructed spaces.

Cleaning your furnace is definitely a DIY task, but it’s important to know the proper safety precautions and to have a good grasp of the furnace’s anatomy before you begin. The first step is to turn off the power and gas supply. Then tackle the air filter—it’s either a clean or replace situation. Next, get into the blower assembly—this is the big piece connected by two large wires and several belts and pulleys. If you think you don’t have time to clean the furnace, remember that too much dust can lead the whole system to work inefficiently in the wintertime—and who needs that? Still, if you have any doubts about your ability to carry out these tasks safely or successfully, it’s well worth spending some money to hire a pro.

Typically, a furnace tune-up will consist of a complete inspection and cleaning of the system so that it runs efficiently and safely. Of course, the key parts of the tune-up involve the most important component of the heating system, the blower. It is inspected and cleaned so that it does not throw dirt into the freshly cleaned heat exchanger. The tune-up continues with the lubrication of all moving parts and checking of all electrical connections to make sure they are tight and secure. Then, it moves into the inspecting of the heat exchanger itself for any cracks or damage that might also allow carbon monoxide to come into the living space.

To ascertain whether your furnace requires a thorough cleaning, you should closely observe its performance and appearance for several telltale signs. Pay attention to the air that comes through the vents; is it flowing as forcefully as it used to? Is the space around the vents filled with dust? Not to mention the rest of your home, which seems to be accumulating an inordinate amount of the stuff. And what about the furnace itself? Is it emitting any weird noises, or is it pretty much as silent as it should be—given that it's an appliance that operates via combustion and/or a whole lot of electrical energy?

Neglected furnaces can result in many kinds of trouble, for the furnace itself, its owner, and the occupants of the building it serves. First and foremost, a furnace that hasn't been cleaned is not going to be as efficient as it could be—that means it could cost more to operate, and not heat as well as it might, and it might not last as long as it should. Why? Because dirt is a main ingredient in wear and tear. If a furnace has to work through dirty filters and dirt-clogged components, some parts might not be doing their jobs at all. Other parts that are supposed to work hard and well might be over- or under-doing it.

Indeed, it can be advantageous to clean the ducts of a furnace. Such a task serves to elevate the quality of the air that one breathes in a home. All of the airborne contaminants that one might inhale are filtered out; thus, the only thing that one might "inhale" from a furnace in operation is the exhalation of pure hot air. One is assured that no dust, no allergens, no debris of any sort is coming out of the furnace. And, as an additional benefit, one can be quite certain that the furnace itself is working perfectly and using no more energy than is necessary for its operation.

Duct cleaning can have its benefits, yet it is reasonable to consider certain negatives as well. For one, it can be an expensive process, and if it is found to be necessary, must be done with a fair amount of frequency. If it is not performed by a knowledgeable technician, it could lead to big problems in the heating system that would require a lot of money to fix. There is also the chance that not all of the freed-up dust and debris will be sucked back into the industrial-strength vacuums that the cleaners use, resulting in a temporary increase in indoor air pollutants. Many argue that it is not needed at all unless there is visible mold or a noticeable drop-off in indoor air quality. And finally, if the rest of the HVAC system is a wreck, the duct cleaning will not yield the dramatic or at least satisfying results that one hopes for.