Leonard Splaine Tune-ups and why it is important to maintain your system regularly.

Heat pump and furnace tune-ups are often overlooked by many homeowners. As an HVAC company that has been around since 1956, we’ve answered thousands of customer questions. One of the questions we hear over and over is this: “Are furnace and heat pumps tune-ups really necessary?”

Well, the simple answer is Yes, All heating and cooling equipment needs regular tune-ups each year, for many important reasons. Having your furnace and heat pump serviced before winter will ensure you experience consistent, optimal comfort throughout the season.

Technicians often equate getting a system tune-up to getting the oil changed in your car. Your furnace is a mechanical system with many moving parts that need to be cleaned and adjusted in order to keep running smoothly. If you skip your oil change, eventually your car will break down. The same goes for your furnace.

We all know that a scheduled check-up for your furnace and heat pump isn’t always top of mind or convenient. However. homeowners should definitely not skip out on this important yearly maintenance. Here are four reasons that furnace and heat pump tune-ups are necessary for the health and safety of your HVAC system:

1. They prevent future breakdowns 

Getting a yearly furnace tune-up is the easiest way to prevent breakdowns in the future. Every winter, we receive many emergency calls that could have been prevented with routine regular maintenance. Tune-ups can differ depending on who you hire, but the majority of them consist of cleaning your system, lubricating the parts, and making sure the connections are correct. Technicians also keep an eye out for any problems that need to be addressed, such as cracked heat exchangers or weak pilot lights. By getting yearly maintenance, you won’t have to worry about dirty gas valves, loose connections, or malfunctioning parts causing your heat to go out on the coldest night of the year.
The natural buildup of dust, dirt, and debris in your furnace causes the unit to work harder than it should in order to heat your home to the desired temperature. If you don’t get yearly tune-ups, the strain on your furnace can shorten the lifetime of your unit. As with any technology, the harder the parts in your unit have to work, the shorter they are going to last.

2. Improves Energy Efficiency

Our furnace tune-up includes the cleaning and inspection of the furnace burner and heat exchanger, checking and managing all of the electrical connections, cleaning the system, and fans inside and out, making sure all connections are secure, cleaning, and clearing the motor, replacing fuel nozzles and filters. In addition to ensuring safe operation, all these will ensure that your furnace operates at its top efficiency, resulting in lower heating costs.

3. Maintains Manufacturer’s Warranty

Warranty agreements vary depending on the furnace manufacturer, but most furnace warranties require the unit to be installed and maintained by a licensed HVAC service provider.

Getting a yearly furnace tune-up is an easy way to ensure you are in compliance with your warranty while keeping your furnace in tip-top shape. Make sure to keep documentation of your furnace tune-ups, as many manufacturers ask for proof of maintenance when you’re dealing with your warranty.

Skipping your yearly tune-ups will only cause pain down the road when you’re dealing with repairs or replacements.

4. Prevent carbon monoxide leaks

Although furnaces have systems in place to protect homeowners from carbon monoxide and other gasses, leaks can still develop. The most common cause of furnace-related carbon monoxide leaks is a cracked heat exchanger or the set of coils within your furnace that create the hot air that heats your home. Heat exchangers typically crack when the coils are overstressed from working too hard, which can happen because of dirty air filters or improperly-sized HVAC systems.

Our HVAC technicians are trained to look for cracked heat exchangers during furnace tune-ups, and they are also able to notice any other problems that can lead to carbon monoxide leaks. This would also help to reduce the extent of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Leonardsplaine furnace and heat pump tune-up inspection include:

• Lubricate blower & bearings
• Change filters
• Check fan speed
• Turn off humidifier/close damper
• Check condensate drain
• Check blower rotation
• Check amp draw of motor
• Check thermostat
• Check & clean condenser
• Check operating pressure
• Check ambient temperature
• Check suction line temperature
• Check refrigerant charge
• Check all safety controls
• Check contactors & relays
• Check start & run capacitors
• Check all wiring connections
• Check compressor
• Check condenser fan motor
• Check rain shield
• Check temperature drop across the coil

For greater peace of mind and confidence, book a maintenance service appointment with us. We provide annual furnace and heat pump tune-ups to ensure your entire HVAC system is running at peak efficiency.