Professional Maintenance Helps Improve Furnace Operation

It won’t be long before the cooling season shifts to heating season, and there’s no time like the present to make sure your furnace or other type of heating system is ready for the long, cold winter. If you wait too long to schedule professional maintenance on your furnace, you might have trouble getting an appointment. Local Cincinnati heating service repair companies get very busy once the temperatures drop south of freezing.

Here are some of the benefits you’ll get from seasonal maintenance on your furnace or heat pump:

• Improved energy efficiency and lower utility bills. A clean and tuned-up furnace or heat pump uses less energy to provide the same amount of heat as one that hasn’t been properly maintained. That translates into lower energy bills.
• A preventive maintenance visit from a reputable HVAC contractor working in Cincinnati will reduce or prevent the chance of life- and property-threatening mishaps with your heating system. This includes

1. the risk of fire,
2. carbon-monoxide leaks, or
3. a sudden loss of heat during extremely cold weather.

Combustion furnaces especially need to be checked out once a year.

• A professional HVAC technician can find small, easy-to-correct issues before they morph into big, costly ones.
• A professional maintenance tune-up will assess whether airflow and distribution are working correctly, preventing situations where some rooms are getting more heat than others.

Your technician should also look at your ductwork, and may recommend duct cleaning if they see certain characteristics of dirty ducts like

1. excessive dust near registers,
2. evidence of insects and other vermin or
3. mold growth near the ducts, etc.

• Finally, a visit from your trusted heating and cooling professional will reduce the number of repairs your equipment is likely to need over its lifetime, and in so doing, extend its service life.

What does an expert HVAC contractor do during the maintenance visit?

Upon arrival, the technician will inspect your entire heating system: everything from the ignition system to the gas burners to the heat exchanger to the blower.

The technician also should check the thermostat to make sure it’s working properly. At the outset of the maintenance visit, make sure you mention any issues or questions that you have about your heating system.

During the visit, the technician should

1. lubricate moving parts, especially in the motor that runs the blower, make sure electrical connections are tight,
2. test the ignition system for proper operation, and
3. inspect the furnace burner(s) to ensure they’re not becoming clogged with soot and ash.

The technician will visually inspect the heat exchanger, looking for any corrosion or cracks, and check the exhaust set-up to ensure dangerous combustion gases are being safely removed from the house.

It’s not uncommon during a heating system maintenance visit for the technician to bring along an air filter, and if necessary, show the homeowner how to install it. A fresh air filter helps improve efficiency and performance, extending the service life of your heating equipment.

Don’t put off routine maintenance

Unfortunately, many homeowners procrastinate when it comes to scheduling an annual furnace maintenance visit. They think, “I’ll just wait till next year.”

Don’t be that homeowner – you can enhance household comfort, ensure safe operation, and save money on more efficient operation if you schedule preseason professional maintenance for both your heating and cooling systems.