Homeowners are often skeptical about whether getting a furnace tune-up annually is necessary. Some experts explain it like this: Seeing your dentist every 6 months is not necessary either, but you will likely run into lots of problems if you don’t get it done. The question then becomes how often should you have your furnace inspected. Here are some other commonly asked questions about furnace tune-ups.
How often should your furnace be serviced?
Your Preventative Maintenance Checklist for Wintertime should include the intervals of how often your furnace should be serviced. The short answer is every year. However, if you have an older furnace or the ductwork in your home is older, you might need to have a tune-up more often than just once a year. Your furnace should be okay with annual maintenance for 10 years. Ask a contractor what their recommendation is for furnaces older than this.
Make a regular tune-up part of your preventative maintenance checklist
Regular tune-ups are important and even necessary for a few reasons.
Here are just some of the reasons why you will want to make an annual furnace tune-up a priority in your home:
- A regular furnace tune-up keeps your system running: A regular tune-up is important because it will keep your system functioning well. A professional furnace technician can help identify small issues before they become more serious and costly. Tune-ups should always be part of your wintertime preventative maintenance checklist!
- A regular furnace tune-up keeps your warranty valid: In some situations, your furnace warranty might be invalidated if you are not getting furnace tune-ups regularly. Many furnace warranties will not cover damage that is incurred due to improper maintenance.
- A regular furnace tune-up helps you save money and stay comfortable: When you have a contractor coming and identifying problems before they show up, you will save money on potentially costly repairs. You will also be able to stay comfortable all year, rather than waiting for something to go wrong at an inconvenient time, and be without heat until the furnace technician can make it.
What does a furnace technician do for your preventative maintenance checklist?
There are some things around the house that you are certainly able to do yourself. However, for a furnace tune-up, there are several reasons to contact a professional.
Here are some of the things that a technician will do during the annual checkup and why you shouldn’t attempt these yourself:
- Check your vent system for blockage or leaks.
- Analyze combustion gases and compare them to unit specs.
- Ensure a tight seal around the blower access door.
- Check air intake grills for blockages.
You must have an experienced professional handle the more extreme parts of your Wintertime Preventative Maintenance Checklist, primarily because inexperienced folks like yourself won’t be thorough in their tune-up. Messing with your HVAC or Furnace can lead to serious property damage or personal injury. Having a professional check on your furnace in Douglasville once a year is vital to the comfort of your home and the safety of your family.