Winter is about here and you might not have even thought about your furnace since last winter. You should have scheduled a tune up to make sure your furnace runs great all winter long. In case you haven't, or didn't know you needed to, here are some reasons and signs that your furnace needs a tune up.
Reasons for a Tune Up
Here are some reasons why you need to schedule a tune up for your furnace.
Extended Life
Without a tune up, your furnace won't work as efficiently. When your furnace isn't efficient, it has to work a lot harder to put out the same amount of heat. The harder it works, the more quickly it wears down. An annual tune up will extend the life of your furnace.
Warranty Stipulations
If your furnace is under warranty, you need to make sure that you perform proper maintenance. Most warranties state that if a breakdown is caused by not doing proper maintenance, than the repairs are not going to be covered under the warranty. You can't just let preventable breakdowns happen and expect the company to foor the bill. Taking care of it will save you a lot of money, because if it breaks down, you can rest easy knowing your warranty will cover the costs.
Catch Problems Early
Just because your furnace seems fine, doesn't mean that it is. During a tune up, your HVAC technician will carefully inspect your furnace to make sure that everything is in working order. A furnace consists of many small parts that all deteriorate and break at their own rate. Your technician can find the problems early and replace the parts on site. This will keep you from dealing with a furnace breakdown in the middle of winter. Because of the number of people who don't bother with annual tune ups, you could end up waiting for days to get your furnace repaired.
Safety
If you have a gas furnace, this is especially crucial. As your furnace burns gas to heat your home, the combustion process has to be just right. If there is a small issue that's causing even the tiniest gas leak, you could end up breathing in carbon monoxide and not even realize it.
Signs You Need a Tune Up
Now that you know why you need a tune up, you need to know the signs that you need one. While you should get one every year, that doesn't always happen. Here are the signs that you need a tune up as soon as possible.
Foul Smell
A foul smell near your furnace is a sign that you need a tune up. It might smell like burnt gas or rotten eggs. The smell might be only near the furnace or in rooms that are close to the furnace. A faint smell is completely normal, but if you find it to be overwhelming or different than it used to be, call your local HVAC technician to schedule a tune up.
Carbon Monoxide Detector Goes Off
Anyone with gas appliances should have a carbon monoxide detector. It will go off if you have a gas leak. If yours goes off, you need to immediately shut off your gas, open your windows, and call your local fire department. Once the fire department clears you to re-enter your home, call an HVAC technician to come look at your furnace.
High Energy Bills
On top of wearing itself down more quickly, your furnace working harder than usual will have an impact on your energy bills. If your furnace is working more efficiently, it will save you money every month on your energy costs.
As you can see, there are many benefits and reasons to get a tune up on your furnace. If you haven't had one since before last winter, call an HVAC technician, like those at R & B Heating & Air Conditioning, as soon as possible.
Share19 December 2015
After my sister moved into my house with me, she started complaining about the temperature. I had never really thought about it before, or maybe I was just used to it, but my house was pretty cold. She told me that she didn't think the furnace was working properly, so I started checking things out on my own. Sure enough, my furnace seemed to be having some serious problems. I started looking for a replacement, and I was able to find a great furnace for much less than what I initially thought I would need to spend. I wanted to make this blog for anyone out there who might need to shop for a new HVAC system. Check out these great articles for information you might need.