As it gets colder we are once again calling on ‘ole faithful’ in the basement to keep our home warm for another winter. Even if you have a newer furnace, we need to ensure there aren’t any hiccups in the performance. We depend on this piece of equipment so much for comfort as well as to protect our home from potential freezing hazards that could occur.
How often do we need to have our furnace professionally looked at and serviced?
That’s a great question and the answer is, without a doubt, every year.
With so much riding on our furnaces’ reliability alone, we need to make certain that it doesn’t fail when we need it most. We also want to make sure that all is working in a safe manner. After all, whether it’s a gas furnace or electric, we need to respect that everything is up to code and is working the way it was intended to. Anything mechanical is subject to malfunctions that can and do happen. The goal is to minimize any unwanted issues by employing a Preventative Maintenance program.
Having your furnace tuned up annually by Weather Tech heating & Cooling will ensure all is gone over with a fine-tooth comb. Our trained technicians know just where to look to ensure trouble free service for your heating season.
Our furnace is new, why should we get it serviced?
A common sentiment we hear.
The truth is, yes, if you just had it properly installed by professionals, it should be just fine. However, if it is 1 year old, it has already worked all year and requires attention.
- New furnaces have sensors and drains and electrical components which need to be cleaned and at the bare minimum observed for any potential issues, even if they are only slight issues, they can quickly become larger problems. As the furnace takes in air for combustion the potential contaminants which get sucked in and burnt up can cause ash and sludge in the drains of these condensing furnaces. When even something as simple as a dirty drain port happens, it can cause a build up of water which can significantly damage motors and circuit boards etc. This can be costly and easily prevented with a regular service on your equipment.
- Rodents can climb into the vents causing nest blockages.
- High efficient furnaces have secondary heat exchangers which can get plugged.
- Flame sensors get dirty just from regular duty, they must be cleaned.
- Heat exchangers need to be thoroughly inspected for cracks so as not to let any Carbon Monoxide into the home.
You would be surprised how many furnaces are installed incorrectly. Weather Tech commonly adjusts gas pressures along with duct sizes and coil locations along with many others!
- Even to have a professional opinion on how to deal with an HVAC related challenge in your home like ‘hot & cold spots’, low airflow, messy and needless drain lines across floor that you trip over, humidity issues, better thermostats along with countless others. So often it’s just a simple adjustment that can be made on a regular tune up visit for no extra charge.
“We think that it’s the ‘COLD’ days that cause all the issues for our furnaces, and while that does cause a fair amount of stress on our equipment, it really just amplifies the problems we have had all along.”
My furnace works great! No reason for service here!
While it does feel great when a system is working by design and keeping you warm and fuzzy while it’s getting cold outside, is it really working well?
New furnaces have so much more to them than older furnaces. So much attention is given to safety and into engineering a system that will maintain your comfort. And while there is a lot to be said about having a highly technological furnace, they are manufactured with the understanding that they will be regularly maintained. For instance, a furnaces’ circuit board knows not everyone is on the ball with filter replacement. That said, sometimes it can get fairly plugged causing your furnace to run hot! That’s never good and can actually cause a fair amount of damage if left unchecked or even a consistent and recurring problem.
But a new furnace is set to mitigate that problem using ‘High Limit’ safeties which can shut everything down until it cools and resets. This is a safety and isn’t meant to be repeatedly used. When it is overused, it will wear out and need to be replaced. However, it will allow the unit to throw more heat when it cools off and resets. A homeowner may never know there is an issue because the furnace is keeping the temperature in the home. Only when you have a furnace that is sized just big enough to heat the home, combined with a very cold day, would a normal homeowner notice a possible issue. We think that it’s the ‘COLD’ days that cause all the issues for our furnaces, and while that does cause a fair amount of stress on our equipment, it really just amplifies the problems we have had all along. Worse yet, some preventable issues give no warnings at all. In the case of an electrical connection or even a gas leak, the problems could result in even greater costs.
Are there benefits to regular Preventative Maintenance Agreements (PMA’s)?
Absolutely!
If you want your equipment to last
- If you want to drastically minimize breakdowns
- If you want to save operation costs and repair costs.
- If you want to avoid inflation
- If you want to take full advantages of a PMA program
- If you enjoy peace of mind
Setting up a yearly tune up on your furnace and A/C or any other HVAC equipment in your home such as HRV’s, humidifiers, dehumidifiers, etc. is as easy as a one-time call to our office. We will set it up so we take all the responsibilities off of your busy schedule by calling each year to remind you it’s time to get it ready for another year. You will also benefit from a ‘preferred customer discount. Saving you more money with each additional year of service. You also get automatically upgraded to the Platinum Tune-up on your equipment, where we do even more than vacuum, clean, inspect, and adjust the equipment. You also get discounts on other services we offer such as Duct Cleaning. Don’t forget, let us remember for you!
How’s the Weather in Your Home?