Fall Is the Best Time for Maintenance to Get Your Heating System Ready
You may have noticed changes because the days are shorter and the fall season approaches. It's getting cooler outside, and there's less sunshine during the day. You haven't had to use your air conditioner as much lately. Finally, summer is almost over, so it's time to prepare your heater for winter, which will soon be here.
The heating system also needs regular maintenance and tune-ups like any other machine. We suggest all residents tune up their furnaces every fall to prepare for the cold months ahead.
Are There Benefits to Maintaining Your Heater?
Scheduling professional heating maintenance has many benefits. One of the biggest is ensuring the system runs smoothly. If your furnace isn't operating correctly, you will quickly find yourself without heat, the last thing anybody wants in the middle of winter.Professional maintenance makes it much less likely that your heater will break down. Most of the time, heaters break down because of wear and tear, which isn't apparent. Some other surprising problems include loud noises like popping, banging, and rattling. A tune-up can avoid or fix these problems, making your heater run more regularly and quietly.
If you don't take care of your heating system, it will have to work harder to keep your home at a comfortable temperature. Heater maintenance includes ensuring air flows better, tightening loose connections, calibrating the thermostat, and checking the system's controls. These ensure the system doesn't have to work as hard to hit and keep a certain temperature.
What Does Heating Maintenance Cover?
When you arrange fall furnace maintenance, a professional will visit your home and perform several tasks. These include, but are not limited to:- Examine the heat exchanger and other important components for wear, damage, or corrosion indications.
- Lubricating every moving component to cut down on wear and friction.
- Checking and cleaning the air intake grilles and vent system.
- Cleaning and inspecting the blower, and if needed, clearing any debris.
- Checking electrical connections and making any necessary adjustments or replacements.
- Checking the current and voltage levels.
- Examining the flame sensor and burner for any damage.
- Testing the safety controls and the unit's startup cycle.
- Looking for cracking on belts and changing them as necessary.
- Check the thermostat and calibrate it as needed.
While annual maintenance is important, it’s not the only conservation that needs to be done on a heater. An air filter helps your heater run more efficiently by preventing dust, hair, dander, and other allergens from entering the furnace. Furnaces need clean air filters to operate correctly. Most professionals recommend an air filter replacement every three months. While technicians will replace it when they come out for routine maintenance, homeowners must replace it the rest of the time.
Isn’t Fall Too Early to Worry About Heater Maintenance?
The least busy time for HVAC contractors is usually in the Fall season. As the weather cools down, people use their air conditioners less frequently, resulting in fewer system installations and fixes. Since it's before the height of the heating season, those services aren't in demand anymore. It's best to plan your tune-up and complete it the same day or within a working day.
If you leave your heater off for an hour or two when it's freezing outside, the temperature inside your home can drop drastically, making it uncomfortable. When your heater is being serviced, you won't be able to turn it on and use it. The maintenance experience isn't very fun, and that's why a lot of people choose to skip it—but that isn't the best solution.
If you have repair done on your heater before the heating season starts, you won't need it while it's being tuned up and checked out. That means your comfort won't be interrupted, the temperature inside won't drop quickly, and you'll have a better and more enjoyable time.
About Hall's Heating & Air
For over 40 years, the residents of Pampa and its surrounding areas have relied on Hall's Heating & Air to provide the best service possible. Our Hall Heating & Air team receives top-notch training to ensure their service is done right the first time. If you are in Pampa, TX, give Hall Heating & Air for all your heating maintenance and tune-up needs.
