If you haven’t checked “schedule furnace maintenance” off your household to-do list yet, now is the time to do so!
When you skip this important annual service, you miss the many important benefits it provides.
How Furnace Maintenance Benefits You
Need a reason to schedule furnace maintenance? A-1 Mechanical gives you six! In this blog, we’ll cover the benefits of preventive furnace maintenance, what’s included in a furnace tune up, and why neglecting furnace service negatively affects your health, as well as your wallet!
1. Better Energy Efficiency Lowers Heating Bills
Wear and tear, loose connections and wiring, worn belts, dirt and dust buildup, dirty furnace filters – these issues and more occur over the normal course of furnace use. All diminish a furnace’s energy efficiency. They force the furnace to expend more energy to do its normal job, which costs you extra money.
During furnace maintenance, your HVAC technician performs a thorough tune up to address these common system issues. We oil bearings, tighten belts and connections, clean compartments and components, change furnace filters, and more. These tasks eliminate the obstacles that force a furnace to draw excess energy. A furnace tune up maximizes the system’s energy efficiency, so the furnace uses less energy. Less energy means lower heating bills.
2. Prevent Costly Furnace Repairs with Regular HVAC Maintenance
Furnace repairs can be pricey, but in many cases, repairs are much less expensive if the issue is caught and corrected early. Why? Well, not all problems cause a furnace to stop working – many times, homeowners are unaware one exists. So, they continue to operate the furnace with a minor malfunction, which develops into a more extensive one or even causes a breakdown.
During a maintenance tune up, technicians inspect the entire system and are able to catch and correct minor issues right away. This helps prevent the development of serious damage and problems that are more expensive to repair.
As an added benefit, catching small issues early on can mean the difference between steady, warm comfort all winter long or a sudden breakdown that leaves you in the cold.
3. A Maintained Furnace Enjoys a Longer Service Life
Well-maintained furnaces last longer! Why? Because tune ups regularly address and remedy issues from wear and tear before they progress into system damage. Schedule a furnace tune up each year to help add more years of service life.
In addition, furnace replacement is a pricey project – don’t let your furnace give out early. Furnace tune ups help keep money in your pocket and reduce the risk of unnecessary premature heating system replacement costs.
Murphy’s Law suggests your furnace will break down on the coldest day of the year. We’ve been on many urgent heating repair service calls to know this comes true for a lot of homeowners. Avoid this “bad luck” by preparing now with preventive furnace maintenance.
Here’s a review from Kim W. –
“I called just a few days ago to schedule a time for my furnace check up. I was able to get an appointment very quickly and in a time that worked best for me. The technician was on time and very nice. After about 30 minutes, he was done and said our furnace was in great condition, even for almost 16 years old. A-1 Mechanical is the only company we have ever used for our furnace needs. We are very happy with their service.”
4. Book Furnace Maintenance to Gain Better Performance & Greater Comfort
A maintenance tune up also generates better performance from your heating system. Reducing your risk of a breakdown helps ensure consistent heating system performance over the fall, winter, and early spring.
Furnace maintenance corrects airflow and other performance issues to deliver adequate warmth across the entire home and proper heating cycles, and reduces temperature fluctuations.
5. Breathe Easier with Better Indoor Air Quality
During your furnace maintenance tune up, your technician cleans out furnace compartments and cleans off components, removing dirt, dust, and debris from the system’s interior. Removing these particles prevents them from re-entering your living areas. More airborne particulates diminish the air quality you breathe inside.
Be sure to change your furnace filter as needed. This reduces the number of allergens and other triggers for allergy and asthma symptoms. Your HVAC technician changes the filter if it needs it and if one’s provided.
Some people assume a new filter comes with the tune up but that’s not always true. Remember, a dirty furnace filter can’t provide good airflow to the HVAC system. Obstructed airflow causes your equipment to work harder and strains the system. This decreases efficiency, which increases your heating bills.
Stress on your furnace also increases the likelihood of cracks in the heat exchanger or other major damage requiring repairs or even replacement.
If you schedule a tune up, your HVAC technician changes the furnace filter if provided and if necessary. At A-1 Mechanical, for example, if you request a new furnace filter when you schedule your tune up, we just add it to your total for your convenience. Easy!
6. Schedule Furnace Maintenance to Improve Safety in Your Home
Part of the process a furnace uses to create heat is combustion. When the furnace combusts natural gas, it naturally produces byproducts like carbon monoxide (CO), an odorless, colorless gas. When a furnace properly operates, it safely vents gases like CO out of your home.
Malfunctions, however, make it possible for carbon monoxide to leak into your home and accumulate. Exposure to high levels of CO sicken humans and animals and in severe cases, is lethal.
In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control, more than 20,000 people visit the emergency room with symptoms each year while more than 400 die.
In Lansing homes with natural gas furnaces and gas-fueled water heaters, carbon monoxide exposure is a serious concern. Well-maintained heating systems reduce the likelihood of a potentially deadly carbon monoxide leak in your home. One way to protect your family is to book a professional tune up each year.
Our technicians inspect critical components, including the heat exchanger, for cracks and other damage. One way CO leaks is due to cracks in the heat exchanger. Cracks occur over time as well as from overuse and equipment stress.
HVAC contractors also inspect venting systems for blockages or leaks leading to a buildup of carbon monoxide in your home. HVAC techs correct any issues found or quickly bring repair or replacement needs to your attention to keep your family safe.
Bonus Tip! Preventive Maintenance Protects Warranties
Unfortunately, many homeowners discover their furnace warranty no longer applies. Why? In many cases, equipment neglect or installation by an unqualified person voids manufacturer warranties. Imagine buying a new car and never changing the oil.
Your HVAC system is probably the most expensive appliance in your home. Don’t let a neighbor’s cousin install it or put off service to save a buck. It could cost you a lot more than you think you saved if there’s a problem and the warranty is rejected. To stay compliant, always use a professionally NATE-certified HVAC contractor to install, repair and service your furnace.
Schedule Furnace Maintenance with A-1 Mechanical Today!
Give your furnace the care it needs to carry your household through another blustery Michigan winter with ease. Don’t forget, we repair and service heating equipment from all major manufacturers. Our friendly technicians arrive with fully-stocked trucks so most issues are resolved within a single visit.
Emergency service is available without overtime charges between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Monday through Friday. For superior HVAC repairs in greater Grand Rapids and Lansing, turn to A-1 Mechanical.
Call 517-348-0302 or click to contact A-1 Mechanical to schedule furnace maintenance today!