When it’s time for a tuneup (or oil change) for your car, you’ll most likely get a nice little warning light glowing on your dashboard to remind you. Did you know that the furnace in your northeast Ohio home will benefit from regular preventive maintenance, too? Your furnace needs care for the same reasons your car does, to maintain top-level performance and optimum efficiency, to prolong the life of the equipment, and to help avoid expensive, inconvenient repairs.
Fall furnace tuneups are also an economical way to help prevent any safety issues with electrical wiring or gas leaks, just like regular checkups for your car do. Your fall furnace tuneup will save you time, money and some unwelcome surprises down the road.
As you may have guessed, the best time for your heating system tuneup is in the fall, before your contractor gets booked up with emergency winter furnace repairs. During your preventive maintenance visit, your home heating contractor will conduct a thorough inspection, system cleaning and a professional tuneup. Depending on the type of heating system you have, your technician will take care of important maintenance tasks which generally include:
- Checking for proper airflow rate
- Examining the system for carbon monoxide (CO) leakage — make sure you have properly installed and working CO detectors in your home as well.
- Cleaning and oiling furnace components
- Replacing the air filter — be sure to do this on your own monthly between professional visits.
- Testing the ignition system for safe operation
- Checking exhaust vents
- Measuring supply and return air temperatures
- Inspecting fan belt for wear and adjusting tension as needed
- Calibrating the thermostat
- Testing safety controls
- Cleaning and oiling blower motor
- Oiling bearings if necessary
- Cleaning furnace pilot and burner
- Inspecting heat exchanger for cracks
- Testing blower motor amperage and voltage
- Inspecting electrical connections and wiring
- Inspecting furnace flue and draft-diverter
- Calibrating fan controls
- Providing a condition report and recommending any needed repairs
Questions about a furnace tuneup? Talk to the experts at Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning. We provide quality HVAC services to Lorain, Erie and Cuyahoga counties.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Lorain, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about furnace tuneups and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning
1 (440) 246-5440
Serving the Lorain, OH Area