Hard to believe, but summer is almost over and the fall leaves will be dropping in no time. As the weather cools off, it’s time to think about getting ready for another cold, snowy winter in the Midwest. One of the tasks that you should be considering sooner rather than later is a furnace tune-up. In fact, a furnace tune-up is one of the most important things you can do to ensure your family stays warm and cozy no matter what it’s like outside.
Why Do I Need a Furnace Tune-Up?
You may not be aware of this, but most furnace manufacturers recommend that you have your heater serviced by a qualified HVAC specialist. But, why would this be the case? Your furnace, like your car, has many moving parts and components. Over time, parts wear out and the system can’t function as well as it once did. Annual tune-ups can help your furnace last longer, perform better, and it can improve the efficiency of your heater.
How Often Should My Furnace Be Tuned Up?
For the most part, an annual furnace inspection and tune-up are adequate to ensure that your system operates properly throughout the winter. However, if your home’s heater is more than 10 years old, is prone to breaking down, or if you’ve had problems with it in the past, you may want to have it checked out more often. In some cases, it may be wise to have the unit tuned up at the end of the season and then again at the beginning, just to be safe.
What Happens During a Furnace Tune-Up?
When you schedule an appointment to have your furnace tuned up for the winter, you can expect the technician to perform a thorough inspection of the unit, looking for potential issues and problems. Just a few of the things that your HVAC specialist will do during your appointment include:
- Clean the inside of the heater including the coils and burners.
- Lubricate moving parts.
- Inspect and repair electrical connections and parts.
- Test the condenser fan motor and capacitor.
- Inspect gas service valves.
- Replace the furnace’s air filter.
- Test and calibrate your thermostat.
- Test the furnace to ensure it operates properly and safely
- And more…
On the Spot Repairs and Replacements
A furnace tune-up appointment isn’t just about looking for problems, it’s also a great time to take care of minor issues. If your technician finds worn, broken, or malfunctioning parts and components, they’ll make the repairs at once. In fact, our service trucks are fully stocked with the most common parts needed to keep your furnace operating properly. Think of it as an insurance policy that helps protect your furnace from suffering a catastrophic failure when you need it most.
How Long Does a Furnace Tune-Up Take?
You have a lot on your plate and the last thing that you want to do is wait around for someone to service your furnace. We completely understand that, and we do everything we can to make the process fast and easy for you. Most furnace maintenance appointments take less than an hour to complete, so you can get back to what you want or need to do as quickly as possible.
What Are the Benefits of Furnace Tune-Up?
Your home’s furnace works hard all winter to keep your family warm and comfortable. But, like any other machine, it won’t last long if it’s not maintained properly. By having your heater professionally inspected and maintained once a year, you’ll benefit in the following ways:
- Increase the useful life of your furnace.
- Decrease the number of repairs it needs over time.
- Improve the energy efficiency of the unit.
- Create a more comfortable environment in your home.
- Reduce your monthly energy use and utility bills.
- Maintains the manufacturer’s warranty.
The main benefit of an annual tune-up, however, is that it gives you peace of mind knowing you’ve properly prepared for the bitter cold months. You won’t have to worry about whether your furnace is ready to handle your family’s heating needs throughout the winter without failing at a critical moment.
Furnace Tune-Ups Contribute to Better Indoor Air Quality
You may not realize this, but your home’s indoor air quality can actually be worse than it is outside. Is your home dusty? Does anyone in the household suffer from allergies, asthma, or other respiratory issues? Do you have pets? Does anyone smoke inside the home? If you’ve answered yes to any of these questions, odds are the air quality inside your home isn’t as good as it could be. By having your furnaces professionally tuned up once a year, you can dramatically improve the air quality and your health and well-being.
Can I Perform a Furnace Tune-Up Myself?
Although there are certainly plenty of instructions online for DIY furnace repair and maintenance, beware. Furnaces are complex machines and one wrong move could cause damage to the unit or your home. If you’re not careful, you could also hurt yourself. Plus, you could void your furnace warranty if you don’t hire a professional. It’s simply not worth the risk. Beyond changing the air filter, it’s always best to leave the maintenance of your furnace to a professional.
Schedule a Furnace Tune-Up Today
If you haven’t had your home’s heater or furnace maintained yet this year, now is a great time to schedule an appointment with Aquarius Home Services. Give us a call at 888-741-9025, or schedule an appointment online. We’ll send out one of our highly-trained, licensed, and insured HVAC experts to perform a thorough inspection of your system. We’ll replace worn, broken, or damaged parts, test the system, calibrate your thermostat, and clean the unit to ensure maximum performance.