How Often Should My Furnace Be Cleaned and Serviced?
The last thing anyone wants during a cold winter night is to have their furnace stop working. If you’ve ever lost the ability to heat your home, you know it can be one of the most unsettling experiences imaginable. You’re left to scramble for a solution as the temperature inside keeps dropping, and in most cases that furnace breakdown can be attributed to being negligent when it comes to your furnace maintenance.
Issues like a clogged furnace filter, faulty pilot light, or a cracked heat exchanger can end up creating a serious and even potentially dangerous situation. But these and other problems can be addressed by having your furnace cleaned and serviced on a regular schedule.
When Should I Get My Furnace Serviced?
Having regular furnace maintenance will help you save on your energy bill and will contribute to a more energy-efficient home. Ideally, you’ll want to have your gas furnace serviced once in the spring and once in the fall. However, if you can stick to an annual schedule, that should still keep everything running smoothly until the next visit.
When you think of the time your furnace works its hardest, it is in the summer when your A/C is running and in the winter when you need constant heat. With this heavy workload, dirt and dust pile up and little things can start to go wrong. By having your furnace serviced and cleaned just before the busiest times of the year, you can feel secure knowing they are ready for the heavy usage that lies ahead.
What Happens on a Service Call?
During a furnace maintenance call, technicians will thoroughly inspect your furnace to ensure it’s in good working condition and safe. We will clean or exchange the filters as well as clean the blower’s fans and condenser units. We will replace any belts that show signs of wear and tear, check the coolant levels, inspect wiring, pumps, burners, and ignitors, and test all the motors and fans.
We will also clean and sanitize the equipment and check carbon monoxide levels to make sure there isn’t a leak. Even though we will take care of your furnace filter on each visit, it’s also recommended that homeowners clean or replace their filter every month or so for optimal performance.
Benefits of Regularly Scheduled Furnace Service
As a homeowner, the number of benefits you’ll receive offsets the expense of having scheduled furnace service. Regular maintenance visits will:
- Increase energy efficiency and lower your current utility bills
- Extend the life of your HVAC equipment, saving money on replacements
- Improve the air quality in your home
- Improve the overall comfort levels in your home
- Prevent the need for extensive, costly repairs
- Make your home a safer place for your family
It’s easy to see how having regular furnace maintenance will help you save on energy bills and provide a safer, more energy-efficient home. If you’d like to learn more or want to schedule a visit from one of our technicians, get in touch with us at RHMH Heating & Air Conditioning today.