Most people never call in a contractor until something in the home breaks. And yet, when it comes to your heating system, many of the repairs you make within a year are largely preventable. The furnace is something you want to avoid repairing in the middle of the winter, when you need your heating system the most. Getting ahead of furnace repairs and maintenance early in the season will help you keep things under control later on.
Let our expert technicians help you understand why it’s important to keep a furnace well-maintained, and what you can do to prevent repairs. Follow these tips in order to make sure you’re safe and comfortable in colder weather.
The details of professional maintenance
Professional maintenance is a service in which a trained HVAC technician (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) shows up to your home for a brief but thorough tune-up.
It starts with an inspection, at which time the technician thoroughly overviews the heater’s components based on a checklist provided by the contractor. The technician will mark instances of wear and make recommendations about whether components should be repaired or replaced right away. We’ll go over the importance of this in the next section.
Then, a technician will make some small adjustments to the system and perhaps clean up the blower components and some other parts (although this is more common with air conditioners). We recommend you schedule this service as early in the season as possible. The tune-up can help to get the parts in better order and prevent repairs in fall and winter.
Why it’s important to nail down problems early
After a maintenance session, a technician lets you know if any parts are in need of urgent repair. You may feel that this is an unnecessary cost, but let’s look at some of the reasons it’s so important to get on this right away.
- It may turn out that there’s a safety risk in your heater.
- The broken part is likely to worsen and cost more to fix later on.
- You might have to deal with a broken heater emergency in the middle of winter, when you need the system most. It’s always better to make the repair sooner!
Changing your air filter
Changing your air filter is another key step in preventing furnace repair. The furnace may seem harmless but a dirty filter is a bigger deal than you think. That dirt clogs up the system, making it more and more difficult for air to get through. That causes your furnace to malfunction, since it requires a certain amount of airflow to work. Change the filter every month to prevent worn-down motors and other problems.
Knowing when it’s time to replace
Finally, a key step in preventing furnace repair is knowing when it’s time to let go of your system. When you have a furnace that’s nearly 15 years old, you can expect the parts to be worn down and begin to fail. Making lots of repairs is like patching up a leaky roof with duct tape. It won’t last, and the rest of the system is likely to break down and follow suit. A new furnace is unlikely to break in the middle of winter, saving you hassle and money overall.
Prevent furnace repair in Lebanon, OH with the help of Bartels Heating & Cooling. Contact us today!