6 Reasons You Shouldn’t Skip Annual Furnace Maintenance
Fall is a busy time with all of the preparations for winter, the excitement of a variety of holidays, not to mention all the parties and gatherings. That’s why it’s so easy to push off your furnace maintenance or even forget about it entirely. Discover six reasons it’s critical that you make time for your furnace maintenance visit this year.
1. Accelerated Furnace Wear
One of the biggest reasons to make time for furnace maintenance is to reduce the wear it experiences while it’s running. The primary goal of furnace maintenance is to keep it operating at peak efficiency. Less efficiency typically means that there’s less air moving through the system.
This allows unusual heat to build up in the system, which damages everything in the furnace from electrical components to the heat exchanger. All of this leads to accelerated component failure and shorter service life. Annual furnace maintenance ensures that you get the full-service life from your unit while reducing the repairs needed along the way.
2. Increased Heating Expenses
The cost of heating is something that has quickly come into focus with the wild volatility in the energy markets. Everyone is looking for how to reduce their heating expenses, especially during the coldest parts of the year.
As previously mentioned, the primary goal of furnace maintenance is to keep your system running efficiently. This simply means that it uses less energy to keep your home at a comfortable level.
We already mentioned the lower airflow that happens when you neglect maintenance. Before resulting in damaged components, it will cause longer heating cycles. Obviously, longer heating cycles translate into more energy consumed, and higher heating costs.
3. Increased Operational Safety Risks
It’s easy to take for granted that furnaces can be dangerous to run, especially if they aren’t properly maintained. Aside from keeping your unit efficient, your maintenance technician is looking for signs of wear that need attention.
Some of the signs of wear can lead to substantial risks of fire. One of the most common ways the system wears that poses a fire risk is with frayed wires. This can lead to arcing, which can ignite dust and dirt that have settled into your furnace. Your maintenance technician cleans out that dust and dirt during annual furnace maintenance.
As your technician is inspecting your furnace, if they find potential hazards, you have the opportunity to fix them before they become a larger issue. This is critical to minimizing the risks of running your furnace and giving your peace of mind.
4. Worse Air Quality
That dust and dirt we just mentioned settle on your heat exchanger, on your circulating fan, and in your air ducts. The air moving through your system will pick up some of these particles and circulate them back into your home. The result is worse air quality, leading to more problems with allergies, asthma, and upper respiratory irritation and infections. Your technician will clean the heat exchanger and circulating fan wheel as part of routine maintenance.
5. Uneven Heating Around Your Home
Neglecting your annual furnace maintenance may lead to uneven heating around your home. The first cause is the same airflow restrictions we’ve mentioned previously. These will prevent the proper amount of air from flowing from your vents, reducing how much the warm air is circulated.
Additionally, your circulating fan may not work properly. It could become clogged with contaminants, reducing the amount of air it can draw. It also can also become off-balanced, which further reduces its draw capacity. Furnace maintenance includes cleaning and balancing the circulating fan wheel.
6. Maintains Manufacturer’s Warranty
Finally, you want to make sure that you aren’t voiding your manufacturer’s warranty. In many cases, the terms of the warranty include annual maintenance by a qualified professional. These terms are built in because manufacturers recognize the excessive wear that neglecting maintenance can have on the system. They require a qualified professional because someone without the proper training can easily cause damage while attempting to perform maintenance.
Fire 'n' Ice Heating & Cooling, Inc. has been the #1 choice for heating and AC service around Downers Grove since 1977. Our technicians pride themselves on dependable AC and heating installation, maintenance, and repair along with expert indoor air quality services. Call today to schedule your furnace maintenance appointment with one of our NATE-certified technicians.
