Furnace Maintenance

If you use a furnace to heat your home, it is important to ensure regular furnace maintenance and have your furnace serviced through a licensed and insured professional so that you can rest easy, knowing your heating system is in safe hands.

If you are looking for a heating expert for your furnace maintenance, we at AVS Heating & Air Conditioning would love to help. To get in touch, call us at (703) 873-7484 (VA Customers) or (301) 686-7129 (MD Customers).

Furnace Maintenance FAQs

As a furnace service provider, we are often asked many questions related to furnace maintenance. Here are some of the most common ones:

1. Why Does a Furnace Need Regular Maintenance?

Furnaces are exposed to dirt, debris, and other pollutants. If you don’t ensure regular cleaning of your furnace, it can lead to dust and debris buildup. This, in turn, can lead to reduced system efficiency and damage to the furnace components, and as a result, you might have to go for frequent repairs or premature part replacement. Also, if not cleaned regularly, the air filters might get clogged with contaminants. As a result, the filters are unable to remove pollutants from the indoor air, which in turn leads to reduced quality of the air you breathe.

Another reason why regular furnace maintenance is important is that a lack of furnace maintenance can lead to carbon monoxide (CO) leakage. During furnace maintenance, the technician will do a thorough inspection of the furnace to ensure there are no cracks that can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning. Note – CO is a colorless gas that has no taste or odor, which makes it very hard to detect, and therefore, it makes regular furnace maintenance all the more important.

The last and one of the most important reasons a furnace needs regular maintenance is that it helps extend the service life of a furnace. On the other hand, a lack of furnace maintenance can lead to the need for premature furnace replacement that can lead you to spend thousands of dollars on its repair.

2. Is Furnace Maintenance Important Even If Everything’s Working Fine?

Yes, it remains important. As the owner, you must ensure regular maintenance of your furnace even if everything’s working fine. That’s because lack of maintenance can lead to a sudden breakdown, whereas regular maintenance helps identify issues early on. In fact, furnace maintenance also helps avoid costly repairs.

3. What Are the DIY Checks I Must Do To Maintain My Furnace?

While it is important to have your furnace serviced by a professional, it is equally important that you ensure a few DIY checks that will help you better maintain your furnace. Here are some of the important ones:

• • Keep track of your energy bills for any unexpected and sudden hikes.
  • Inspect the area around your furnace’s outdoor unit every month and look for signs of water leaks. Detecting a leak early on will help you avoid costly repairs and reduce the chances of property damage.
  • The last but most important DIY maintenance check is to change your furnace air filters regularly. This will help you keep your heating system maintain optimal efficiency. It will also help ensure improved indoor air quality.

4. What Does Furnace Maintenance Include?

Here are some of the most important checks/fixes that our heating expert performs during a furnace maintenance appointment:

• • Inspection of the furnace for damage such as cracks, rust, and regular wear and tear.
  • Cleaning the filters, burners, ducts, and flue to get rid of the dirt and soot buildup.
  • Fan switch adjustment to avoid short cycling.
  • Thermostat calibration.
  • Checking voltage and current drawn by furnace components.
  • Lubrication of all moving parts in a furnace.
  • Safety mechanism test to ensure it is working properly.
  • Testing combustion openings to ensure adequate airflow.
  • Inspecting gas lines and air ducts for leaks.
  • Checking the furnace panels to ensure they are secure.

Note: Furnace maintenance may vary depending upon the type of furnace you are using.

5. How Often Should a Furnace Be Serviced?

Many people tend to postpone furnace maintenance until their furnace breaks down or there’s something drastically wrong with it. However, that’s not the right way to go about things, as it can lead to costly repairs and premature furnace replacement. Ideally, one must get their furnace serviced at least once every year. However, if your furnace usage is high, you may even opt for two service annually.

6. What Does Furnace Maintenance Include?

While the cost of maintenance might dissuade some homeowners, consider this: when you deal with fewer HVAC repairs and an extended shelf life, the cost of service pays for itself. Since the energy efficiency will be optimized, you’ll see a reduction in your utility bills. Even if your HVAC unit is still under warranty, the conditions might be breached if the system isn’t maintained annually.

7. What Are The Benefits of a Furnace Preventive Maintenance Plan?

A preventive maintenance plan is a cost-effective way to take care of your furnace. It helps ensure that you don’t have to worry about keeping track of your furnace maintenance schedule. Instead, the service provider would call to remind you whenever the service is due. Another benefit of investing in a preventive maintenance plan is that it is relatively cheaper as compared to scheduling regular furnace maintenance. That’s because when you buy a preventive furnace plan, it requires you to pay the service fee in advance, and so the service provider offers a discount on the service charges.

We at AVS Heating & Air Conditioning understand how important the role of a well-maintained furnace is in ensuring the overall comfort of any home. We, therefore, offer one of the best furnace preventive maintenance plans at reasonable prices. If you are looking to buy a furnace preventive maintenance plan or need any other furnace-related service, feel free to get in touch with us. To schedule an appointment, call us at (703) 873-7484 (VA Customers) or (301) 686-7129 (MD Customers).