What to Expect During Your Autumn Furnace Service Call

What to Expect During Your Autumn Furnace Service Call

When the weather starts cooling and leaves begin to change colors, it’s the perfect time to schedule your autumn furnace service call. There are no set rules that determine what your heating contractor will do during your checkup, so it’s a great idea to arm yourself with basic knowledge of what should be checked each year.

• All electrical connections should be routinely checked: this means the power going to your furnace and the terminals on the thermostat. Any bad connections can cause your equipment to work improperly or fail prematurely. Any electrical wires or connections inside the furnace housing can become brittle or frayed over time, and these need to be inspected to prevent any potential fire hazards.
• Good ventilation is important to ensure the proper operation of your heating system. Anything from accumulated dust and dirt to the occasional animal can cause blockage of your airflow. Not only will this cause poor circulation of heat, it can also cause toxic carbon monoxide to build up in your home. All filters and access panels should also be inspected for correct fit to reduce air leaks.
• Your autumn furnace service call should also consist of a thorough inspection of all moving parts. Motor shafts need to be lubricated, and blower fans need to be cleaned. This will increase the effective life of the parts while keeping them from wasting energy. Belts should be checked for wearing or cracking, and they should be replaced if necessary.
• Checking all gas or fuel lines should be part of your autumn furnace service call. Any corroded, cracked or bent lines should be replaced or repaired before using your system. Have all manifold pressures and high-limit switches inspected to prevent overheating and make sure the ignition system and thermocouples are in working order to avoid fuel loss.

Your service professional may offer checkups at various prices, but there’s no substitute for safety and thoroughness. Be sure and contact the courteous staff at Air-Tro Inc. Heating & Air Conditioning. For nearly three decades, we’ve been the go-to guys for furnace maintenance in the Greater Los Angeles area.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Pasadena, California area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).

Image courtesy of Shutterstock