Annual furnace Clean and Checks are the most pro active action a home owner can take to ensure a long, efficent life for your HVAC equipment. Todays furnaces have evolved into complex machines capable of achiving extremly high efficency and acurate performance. With modern day heating equipment, it is imparitive to treat your funace like you would any other investment. Remember, a little TLC can go a long way to keep your equipmnt saving as muuh energy as possible. Whether you have a 80% effecint furnace or a high efficency furnace, over time the efficency rating can be dialed back due to nomal ware and contaminants in the air. The most commonly known cause of loss of efficiency is dust build up on the blower wheel. While performing a furnace repair in Longmont CO, we came across a blower that had about an 1/8th of an inch of build up on the filter. Even such a small amount can reduce your furnace effecncy by 15% or more. Even if you are very pro active about changing your furnace filter, dust and debrie can begin to accumilate on the blower moter fins.
When the dust begins to build on the furnace blower wheel, the
furnace is unable to move air efficently. When any forced air heating
system loses CFM it is like a chain reaction leading to a very costly
furnace repairs. Your furnace is designed to heat using the perfect
amount of air (CFM) blowing across the heat exchanger. When performing
correctly, your furnace can maintain a perfect tempature being
distributed to your home. As dust builds and the CFM drops, your heat
exchanger begins to overheat due to lack of air. When a furnace heat
exchanger overheats, it takes a toll on many of the components. Your
furnace may begian to short cycle causing the equipment to cut off, cool
down and start again. When this happens, the furnace is being worked
overtime to keep you house at the desired tempature. Instead of a smooth
cycle, the HVAC system is atempting to maintain temperature while
operating ON,OFF,ON,OFF in a very short amount of time (Imagine turning
your car off and starting it at every stop light). It is rather
impressive such a simple issue like dust acumilation can cause furnace
failure but that is the simple truth. Of course the main thing to do in
the fight against dust build up, is keeping up with your furnace filter
change out,This will without a doubt allow signficant air flow through
your furnace and catch the majorty of dust. As for the dust that passes
and builds over the year, you want to make sure that a blower cleaning
is part of your yearly service. Having your local heating company clean
your blower is also great because once the blower is removed for
cleaning it gives the HVAC specialist an opportunity to get their eye's
on the inside of the Furnace for further assessment and reccomendations.
Now that we have established the imprtance of a clean inner furnace, the components on the outside of the heat exchanger box are just as important. By having Your local heating company perform annual maintenance, you are preventing any build up from bugs, dust, etc. When the furnace specialist cleans the componants, it gives them an opportunity to truly inspect the electrical components for possable deterioration and future furnace failure. The service technician will take apropriate readings from each component to determine if anything may be close to failure. Over time it is normal to have some furnace parts go bad. When having a heating company perform annual maintenance, you are attempting to catch these issues before they become a furnace no heat call. We strongly recommend taking action when any furnace issues are brought up by your heating specialist. Taking care of the recommended furnace repairs during Your furnace tune up can save a great deal of money compaired to paying for multiple furnace service calls. We were recently called to an annual furnace maintenance call in Erie Co. While prefoming the clean and check, we found that the inducer motor was not drawing the needed amps and making a loud louder than usual noise. After replacing the inducer motor, while checking the furnace sequence of opperations it was found that the limit switch was triggering the furnace to shut down prematurely. Because we just so happened to be there for the customer's annual furnace maintenance, we were able to make proper furnace repairs that saved future furnace reapir service calls.
With any furnace tune up or clean and check the furnace specialist
should always perform a safety check on venting and gas lines for
natural gas furnaces and propain furnaces. Over time there are multiple
factors that could cause furnace venting issues including house shifting
or weather damage to pipes outside. While performing the furnace tune
up, your technician should perform a visual check for any noticable
damage and an electronic check for carbon monoxcide. Both 80% furnace
and high efficeny furnace vents can deteriorate over time so the venting
inspection is a very important step to any furnace tune up/clean and
check. Gas lines are another crucial part of any furnace check.
Your HVAC specialist should perform testing on any furnace gas lines in the mechanical room. This usually done by using an electronic gas meter. A properly calorbrated gas detector can sense even the smallest leak. Once these test are performed, You can have peace of mind knowing you and your family are safe, sound and warm.
Overall there are clearly many advantages to having your HVAC system annualy maintenanced. It's about safety and a long life for your furnace with as few furnace repairs as possiable. Typically a Furnace tune up is set at a resonable cost with the majority of heating companies offering discounts for annual service agrements. We recommend Calling your local heating and cooling company to schedule your appointment today.
