Furnace Tune Up: What It Is, How It Saves You Money

Getting an annual tune up for your furnace is the best way to make sure you are getting the most out of it. We wanted to tell you a little more about what goes into a furnace tune up, and why it should be on your fall checklist.

In my time in the HVAC industry, I’ve tuned up and maintained hundreds of different furnaces, and many different styles and brands. Between my experience, certifications, and training, I have learned the ins and outs of furnace maintenance. From oil and gas furnaces, to electric solutions like ductless mini splits, I’ve dealt with them all.

What Is A Furnace Tune Up? Understanding Your HVAC System

A furnace tune up is a thorough check of your current furnace and HVAC system that includes cleaning and adjusting the various system components and testing the system for efficiency.

Is an Annual Home Furnace Tune Up Necessary?

We recommend an annual furnace tuneup for all of our customers because this regular maintenance keeps your system running more efficiently- saving you money every month on energy bills. If we note undue wear and tear on certain components, we can do preventative maintenance as well, replacing worn parts and keeping your furnace from leaving you out in the cold when you need it the most.

This preventative maintenance also helps keep your warranty in place. With warranties on many HVAC systems lasting 10 years- you definitely want to take advantage of that coverage if something goes wrong later on!

Common Problems You Can Avoid When You Tune Up A Furnace

Common problems you can catch early and avoid with regular tune ups include:

Having your system work harder than it should

By regularly changing the air filter on your system and making sure motors are well lubricated and working properly keeps your system working efficiently and prevents undue wear on system.

Checking For Gas Leaks

If you have a gas furnace, the flames should always be blue. If they are orange or red, that means that there’s dirt in the system that needs to be removed- it’s lowering your efficiency and costing you more money in energy bills! And if the flames are flickering- you might have a gas leak- and that could be dangerous! Regular cleaning can end up saving you big money in repairs down the line.

Water Leaks

Condensate lines for furnaces can get clogged with dust and dirt over time and you can prevent this problem by having your line checked regularly at your annual tuneup.

Cracked Heat exchanger

Over time, the heat exchanger in your furnace can develop small cracks due to metal fatigue from being warmed up and cooled down over years of use. The issue is that a cracked heat exchanger can allow carbon monoxide to leak into your home which can cause serious health problems and even death! That’s why getting your system checked annually is so important.

Furnace Short Cycling

If your furnace is cycling on and off frequently, you could be wasting energy! This could be due to problems like a dirty flame sensor or a dirty blower motor. To keep your system running efficiently and avoid higher energy bills, be sure not to skip your annual tuneup.

In addition to avoiding these issues, an annual tuneup can help with:

Weak Airflow and Cold Rooms

If you have some rooms in your home that get weak airflow and are too cold in the winter, make sure to let your HVAC technician know. We can help check your ductwork and adjust your dampers to make sure your system is working as expected.

Higher Energy Bills

By keeping your system in good working order, you’ll be able to keep a lid on your energy bills.

Breakdowns

Like anything, HVAC systems do suffer from wear and tear and need repairs. To avoid surprises like waking up with no heat, your annual tuneup can help ensure that any parts showing premature wear are replaced before they leave you out in the cold!

Poor Indoor Air Quality

Changing your filters regularly helps improve your indoor air quality, by removing dust, pollen, and other contaminants from your air- and that’s particularly important in Winter, when we spend so much time indoors!

How Frequently Should I Schedule a Furnace Tune Up?

Here at John Cipollone, we recommend a yearly furnace tuneup, usually in late summer/early Fall, before the cold weather sets in. Getting your furnace tuned up and serviced includes:

Basic Steps Of a Furnace Tune Up and Cleaning

When you get a furnace tune up, we know you’re wondering what exactly happens. We’ve told you why it’s important and what benefits it gives you, but what do we do exactly?

Checklist: What To Expect With A Professional Gas Furnace Tune Up

Here’s the basic checklist of furnace tune up steps our trained and experienced technicians perform when they are servicing your furnace:

• Blower compartment cleaning. Your HVAC system continually draws in airborne dirt and dust. A dirty blower wheel works less efficiently and can contribute to higher energy costs, so we want to make sure it’s cleaned thoroughly.
• Clean condensate Lines– We make sure your condensate lines are free of gunk and any condensate can flow, avoiding problems in your furnace.
• Wiring inspection – We make sure all the wires and connections are tight, to avoid malfunctions and potentially expensive repairs.
• Inspection of the heat exchanger, gas pressure, and flame operation.
• Burner Adjustment- we clean and adjust your burners to make sure they are working efficiently.
• Indoor air filter cleaning or replacement – Replacing the air filter will help improve your air quality and keep your systems from working harder than they need to.
• Igniter or pilot light inspection to ensure their proper functioning – Most modern furnaces have an electronic igniter rather than an always-on pilot light, but in either case, we make sure they are working as expected.
• Checking duct connections and airflow – We check to make sure the airflow in your home is what is expected, and make sure your dampers are adjusted properly.
• Additional safety checks – We want to make sure your system is safe and check for carbon monoxide leaks, and also make sure your system is running with peak energy efficiency.

Furnace Tune Up How To: Guide to DIY Maintenance

While you can do some tasks, like changing your air filter and cleaning the condensate lines yourself as a DIY project, adjusting your burner and cleaning sensitive parts of your furnace is probably best handled by an experienced technician. Make sure you hire someone who is certified to work with gas and electricity.

Extending Your Furnace Lifespan

Remember that an annual furnace tune up and regular maintenance will help your system run efficiently, saving you money on energy bills. You’ll also be doing preventative maintenance, and will be less likely to end up out in the cold with a surprise furnace problem. While breakdowns do occur, your annual maintenance helps keep your warranty intact and will make any unexpected issues cheaper to solve heater maintenance in Wynnewood, PA.

Call John Cipollone, Inc. at (610) 446-7877 to speak with your trusted heater maintenance in Wynnewood, PA.