Baby, It’s Cold Outside!
Cold weather never seems to leave Michigan completely…Even some summer nights are furnace-worthy! As such, few systems in your home impact your family’s safety and comfort the way your heating system does. How best to ensure your system runs smoothly and safely any time you need it? Keeping up with regular system evaluations and annual tune-ups like those offered by Service Professor will help boost system efficiency (and longevity) keeping your home comfortable all year long.
Furnace Evaluations and Tune-ups
Michigan’s long, frigid winters put even the mightiest furnaces to the test. Over time, heavy use can lead to any number of issues that decrease the efficiency of your heating system. Left unchecked, problems like loose ductwork, loose blower belts, and loose wiring can lead to high energy bills, uneven temperatures throughout your home, frequent breakdowns, and can even put your family’s health and safety at risk.
Performed by a certified technician, regular furnace evaluations (or tune-ups) are an important part of your home maintenance plan. The checks and adjustments they make help to improve the overall efficiency of your heating system, increase system longevity, and ensure would-be problems are discovered, and corrected before they can escalate.
Maintenance Visits
The best way to ensure your heating system receives the regular maintenance and care it needs is to enroll in a home protection plan, such as that offered by Service Professor. During annual maintenance visits, your technician will perform a variety of checks and adjustments, such as:
- Evaluate exposed ventilation
- Evaluate ducts, grates, registers, and grilles
- Evaluate the thermostat
- Check all limits and safeties
- Test for Carbon Monoxide
- Evaluate the heat exchanger
- Replace thermostat batteries if needed
- Change the furnace filter
For added convenience and value, most home maintenance programs include quarterly visits to ensure other home systems, e.g. plumbing and electrical, are running efficiently too.
DIY…Yes or No?
Some maintenance and tune-up tasks (like changing the furnace filter) can easily be handled by the average homeowner. However, most services should be performed by a qualified heating technician to ensure the safety of both the homeowner and the heating system. Service Professor’s HVAC manager, Brad Deutschman, explains, “Ensuring the integrity of certain components of the system, such as electrical connections, limits and safeties, and the heat exchanger, are best left to professional heating and cooling technicians trained in furnace (or boiler) maintenance and repair. They know how to identify and resolve issues quickly, ensuring maximum efficiency and safety.”
As any Michigander can tell you, preparation is key to handling Michigan’s frequently cold and snowy weather. Make sure your family stays comfortable and safe year-round by following a regular home maintenance plan that includes annual heating system evaluations.