Just like your car, your furnace needs regular maintenance to keep it running smoothly. It works hard all winter long (and sometimes winters are LONG!) to keep your home warm and comfortable. In order to provide the best in comfort, your furnace needs cleaned regularly to be operating at peak performance.
When Should I Have My Furnace Cleaned?
It is ideal to have your furnace maintenance, which also includes standard cleaning, in the fall before you turn the heating system on for the first time. This ensures that a professional heating service expert will be there to diagnose any issues as they come up for the first time rather than you finding out the hard way when you try to turn your furnace on later.
You may want to get your furnace serviced outside of regular fall maintenance if you have just done any remodeling or have just moved into a new home. This will ensure any drywall dust or remnants from past tenants are not living in your furnace.
Do I need to Have My Furnace Serviced if it’s New?
The short answer is, yes. We recommend furnace maintenance annually. Just because your car is new doesn’t mean you skip the oil changes, right?
Are Furnace Cleaning and Duct Cleaning the Same?
Many homeowners search for “furnace cleaning” when what they really want is duct cleaning, but the two are entirely separate services. Duct cleaning cleans out all of the ductwork in your home including the supply duct above your furnace where heat is being provided. However, an air duct cleaning will not actually clean inside the furnace itself and does not include any service done to the furnace. It can help ensure your furnace is circulating clean air throughout your home.
How Does Furnace Maintenance Help My HVAC System?
Having regular fall maintenance on your gas or electric furnace is always a good idea.
It will:
- Ensure your system lasts as long as possible
- Help to prevent any large repair bills from ongoing issues
- Make sure your system runs efficiently, meaning the electric bills are reasonable for the unit
- Help make sure your home is safe from carbon monoxide
- Help maintain your warranty
If you have a home warranty or equipment/labor warranty on your furnace getting regular maintenance will typically be a requirement in maintaining that warranty protection.
How Much Does Furnace Cleaning Cost?
A furnace tune up can range in price depending on where in the country you live. With Quality Comfort Home Services, your furnace clean and check will cost $79. If you are part of our Total Care Club then you will receive one furnace check free each year.
What Parts of the Furnace Get Cleaned?
The inside of the unit is vacuumed out, removing any dust or debris that has gathered at the bottom. We also clean the burner, the pilot assembly and the exterior of the furnace as well if it is needed.
What Does Furnace Maintenance Include Besides Cleaning?
Each company has different types of inspections they may run on your unit. Usually there is a “multi-point” checklist involved. Quality Comfort follows industry-standard best practices and checks all of the following components of your furnace.
- Check flue system for safety & carbon monoxide leaks
- Check return & air filter
- Check furnace blower motor
- Check furnace ignitor
- Check limit switch
- Check thermocouple
- Clean pilot assembly
- Clean and adjust burners
- Test for gas leaks
- Inspect combustion chamber
- Check for combustible materials around furnace
- Check flame sensor
- Lubricate motors and bearing as necessary
- Check all parts for visible wear & tear
- Check gas train and all electrical components/connections for safety
- Test thermostat operation
- Check heat exchanger
- Check proper burner ignition and efficiency
- Confirm complete system operation and safety
What if I Have a Heat Pump?
Heat pumps both heat and cool the home, so we recommend both heating and cooling tune-ups for heat pump systems. The components we would be checking for each season are different to ensure peak operation in heating or cooling mode, whatever is needed for the upcoming season.
Pay $0 for Tune Ups with Total Care Club
Many companies offer service agreements and Quality Comfort Home Services offers you the Total Care Club Super Savings Plan. One annual price includes your furnace maintenance, air conditioning maintenance, water heater inspection, whole-home plumbing inspection, 10% discounts on repairs and more for the entire time you’re a member. That way you pay once and just forget about it! We call you to schedule your maintenance in the spring and fall.