Our Quick Guide to Furnace Maintenance

Wait too long to schedule your furnace maintenance and you may end up in the lurch. HVAC contractors are flooded with calls once the cold weather hits. Scheduling fall maintenance ensures your furnace will work the first time you fire it up, and will continue to work efficiently throughout the season.

Here is a quick guide to furnace maintenance so you know what to expect when your technician knocks at the door.

How often should you service your furnace?

If your furnace is less than 10 years old, an annual maintenance appointment is usually adequate. If your system is older, it may require more than one visit to resolve wear-and-tear issues that arise.

How often should you change your furnace filter?

Dirty and clogged filters are a primary cause for furnace malfunctions due to airflow obstructions. A clogged filter will also require your furnace to use extra energy in order to keep your home at the desired thermostat setting. We recommend changing your filter as per the manufacturer’s instructions. If you have a traditional fiberglass filter, you may want to change it as frequently as every month to optimize energy efficiencyand indoor air quality. High-tech filters can usually last three months in between changes.

How do I service my furnace?

Call the professionals. While changing filters is an easy DIY project, the majority of things we do for routine furnace maintenance requires a trained and skilled professional. These steps include:

  • Checking electrical connections
  • Measuring current and voltage
  • Lubricating moving parts
  • Verifying all fuel connections, gas pressure and seals to prevent CO leaks
  • We will also run the system through a complete cycle to verify it’s working correctly, and we will make sure the thermostat settingsare accurate.

How often should you clean your furnace?

If your furnace is relatively new, the burners will only need to be cleaned once a year, if at all. After that, you may want to inspect it one or two times throughout the winter season to make sure combustible residues aren’t accumulating.

Contact All Temp Co., Inc. Air Conditioning & Heating. We’re happy to serve as a guide to furnace maintenance in your Charlotte-area home.

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