Before winter arrives in Wheat Ridge, CO, prepare your heating system for the season with expert furnace maintenance from Fox Heating, Cooling & Plumbing. At an altitude of over 5,000 feet, winter brings a harsh climate to our area, with temperatures that drop to extreme lows. To combat these frigid conditions, you need a strong and reliable heating system to keep your home warm and toasty. Our professional maintenance service can provide that. Here is what we do to prepare the furnace for optimal performance, damage-free operation, and readiness for the next season.
What Is Furnace Maintenance?
Furnace maintenance is a service that allows our technicians to examine your heating system and identify any potential issues. We also perform several tasks to clean and adjust your system, which enhances its operation and ensures it meets your needs. With this service each year, we help keep your heating system running smoothly throughout the winter. This way, you can stay warm and avoid the brutal cold outside.
Tasks Involved in Furnace Maintenance
Let’s go over some key tasks involved in our furnace maintenance service. But first, we’ll talk about what you can do. It’s absolutely essential that you remember to change your air filters every 30 to 90 days. The frequency depends on many factors.
If you have pets, you should change it more frequently due to their shedding fur. At different times of the year, you may need to change it more frequently. In times of high pollution, dust, pollen, or wildfire smoke, change it more often. If people in the home have allergies or respiratory conditions, change if more often. Additionally, standard fiberglass filters should be changed more often than pleated filters.
Now, we’ll discuss what will happen during your maintenance appointment.
Visual inspection
Our technicians look over each component inside your heating system. We verify normal operation and function, as well as look for any signs of abnormal wear and tear or damage. This inspection allows us to spot problems that could cause your furnace to fail this winter. If we identify any issues, we can schedule repairs promptly so that your furnace is ready before frigid weather hits.
Cleaning
Throughout the year, dust, dirt, and other contaminants may accumulate on and in your furnace. Our technicians clean the system. They remove the buildup to create better and less stressful working conditions.
Lubrication
We lubricate certain moving parts inside your furnace to protect them and the surrounding parts from friction and the damage that can cause. Without proper lubrication, these parts can wear out early. They may also produce loud or unusual sounds within the system.
Tighten Electrical Connections
We inspect and tighten electrical connections to ensure safety and optimal performance. Loose electrical connections can cause shorts, surges, and fires. They might also make your heating system stop working.
Clear Condensate Drain Line
Some types of high-efficiency furnaces create water during normal operation. The condensate drain line directs water away from the furnace in a safe manner. This helps prevent damage to electrical parts. We inspect the condensate drain line for cracks and leaks and clear the line to prevent blockages. A blocked drain line can cause water to back up into your furnace, potentially causing severe water damage to the system.
Test Safety Controls
Most furnaces have safety controls or switches that prevent operation when a malfunction occurs. Our technicians conduct thorough tests on these safety mechanisms to ensure they function properly. If your system fails this safety test, it may be unsafe to operate the furnace until the necessary repairs are made. The system could overheat or cause a fire in extreme cases, leading to catastrophic loss in your home.
Check Gas Components
We check all gas components for safety and performance. We make sure that the gas valve is open and that the pilot light burns bright blue. This color of flame indicates the proper amount of gas, which is necessary for safe and proper function. We also test gas pressure to ensure it is within a normal range. Our technicians make any necessary adjustments to keep gas flowing at an appropriate level.
Performance Test
Once we’ve completed all the internal inspections, tuning, and cleaning, we test your system. We turn on the furnace and observe a couple of cycles. Our technicians check the air temperature from the vents. They also ensure there is sufficient airflow to maintain a consistent temperature in your home.
We also listen for loud or unusual sounds during this test run. These sounds could suggest a malfunction and need further investigation. We also pay attention to smells, as foul or strange odors can indicate a problem that requires repairs.
Thermostat Adjustment
The thermostat controls your comfort settings by sending signals to your furnace. This device tells your furnace when to turn on and sets the desired temperature for your home. The thermostat records the current temperature in the area and sends a signal to the furnace when it’s time to stop. Our technicians verify that your thermostat shows the correct temperature. They also ensure it sends proper signals to the furnace for operation. We can calibrate and adjust the thermostat as needed so it works as it should.
Why Schedule Routine Maintenance for Your Heating System?
Routine furnace maintenance is essential for your heating system. With this service, you can keep your furnace healthy, safe, and operational. Regular furnace maintenance reduces the chance of sudden breakdowns. This makes your system more reliable and gives you peace of mind during use.
Maintenance also leads to greater efficiency due to less stress and optimal component conditions. Cleaning and tuning help your furnace operate at greater efficiency, which reduces your heating costs.
You can extend the lifespan of your current heating system by scheduling regular furnace maintenance. Maintenance keeps all parts of the system healthy, reducing wear and extending the life of the system. Most gas furnaces last 15 to 20 years under optimal conditions, provided they receive regular preventive maintenance. Electric furnaces can last 20 to 30 years.
Another benefit of maintenance is improved air quality. Your indoor air quality depends on the cleanliness of your furnace. With better air quality, you can find greater comfort and breathe easier.
Finally, a clean HVAC system leads to a cleaner home. When our technicians remove dust and debris from the system, we take these contaminants out of the house so they won’t get recirculated in your air. With regular maintenance, you could see less dust buildup on furniture and other belongings in your home.
How Often Does My Furnace Need Maintenance?
Schedule maintenance every year to keep your system in top condition. The best time for furnace maintenance is early in the fall. This gives our technicians enough time to complete your tune-up and address any necessary repairs before the temperatures drop. With annual fall inspection and maintenance, we’ll have your heating system ready by the time you need it.
Call Today for Expert Maintenance Service
At Fox Heating, Cooling & Plumbing, we strive to be the top name in heating and cooling. We also offer a range of other heating and cooling services, including repairs and installations. Trust us when you need HVAC services, and we’ll make sure your system is reliable, safe, and efficient. Get ahead of the winter weather in Wheat Ridge by scheduling furnace maintenance with us at Fox Heating, Cooling & Plumbing today.
