Altus, Oklahoma Professional Furnace Tune Up Services
Regular furnace tuning is just as critical as a car’s oil changes. Without regular maintenance, your furnace will lose efficiency and could break down unexpectedly. If your furnace makes strange noises or runs fine, a tune-up will help keep your family safe and warm throughout the winter.
What does a furnace tune-up cover?
Breakdowns are inconvenient and uncomfortable, whether the furnace is used mainly for comfort, or to keep temperatures above freezing. In the course of a furnace tune-up, a professional technician will thoroughly inspect all the parts of the furnace and repair anything necessary to help your furnace lasts as long as possible. By regularly having your unit inspected, you can keep it from breaking down, experiencing problems, or needing to be replaced. This also helps it to continue running efficiently and give the homeowner savings on his or her heating bills.
During a tune-up, a professional will:
- pilot system and/or electrical components
- recalibrate the thermostat
- check for system leaks and tears or gaps in the ductwork
- clean the major components of the furnace
- lubricate the mechanical parts
- test the heating elements
- test the safety and limit switches
Why is a tune-up necessary?
There are far more compelling reasons to have your furnace cleaned regularly than simply keeping it looking nice. Cleaner furnaces are more efficient than dirty ones. You could even see your monthly energy bills go down after replacing your furnace’s airflow filter and cleaning the coils.
Another step in the tuning up of a furnace is testing out the pilot system. If the fuel is not burned completely, it can cause carbon monoxide build-up inside your home, which can have a negative effect on your health and well-being. A certified technician can help in determining the risk of your furnace for leaking this gas.
Regular furnace tune-ups will not only help conserve energy and keep your utility bill in check, but they will also save you money long term because you won’t have as many repairs to pay for. When a unit is not maintained well this can lead the homeowner to make a lot of repair calls. Your unit will have to work harder, and thus wear out faster if parts are allowed to become dirty or become ineffective. Ultimately, it will become too expensive to keep doing repairs, and a complete replacement will be needed.
Most people don’t think about their furnace until it breaks down in the middle of winter, but the best practice is to have yours serviced before the weather gets cold. With proper checks and maintenance, furnaces can last between 15-20 years. Depending on how much use it gets and how well it’s maintained, a new furnace could last as long as 40 years.
If your furnace is still covered by warranty then you need to have it serviced for regular tune-ups in order to use it. Most companies undertake the process of repair or replace a unit under warranty, only if it has undergone all check-ups scheduled previously. Even though your furnace may now run smoothly, a tune-up might end up saving you thousands of dollars if something suddenly goes wrong.
How should homeowners maintain their furnaces between tune-ups?
Furnaces usually require very little maintenance by homeowners between adjustments unless something breaks down or needs repair. Of course, there are some things you can do to keep your furnace working as long as possible and continue working between tune-ups.
The efficiency of a furnace improves when the air filter is replaced regularly. When there is a filter that is dirty this can lead to a strain on the mechanical parts of the furnace. Homeowners with pets should change their air filters at least every three months. Not only do filters improve the functioning of the furnace, but they also help filter out toxins, allergens, and particles so there is clean air in your home all throughout the year.
Some people close off certain air vents to try to control the airflow in their home, but that can put too much strain on your furnace, resulting in mechanical damage. Mold can grow inside the ducts because of closed air vents. Vents that are closed don’t usually save homeowners money in the long run as the furnace can wear out more quickly because of this.
Make sure that the area where your furnace vents to the outside of your home are not obstructed by debris, such as animal nests, that can restrict airflow. When the seasons start to change, this time is the ultimate time to look for these problems. If your furnace seems to be malfunctioning while it is turned on, you may check for this before calling the experts for a repair.