Hello, my name is Darby Aldrich. I would like to talk to you about the importance of maintaining your air conditioning system. When I moved to a hot climate, I did not realize how vital having a running air conditioner was for living comfortably. When the unit just stopped working one day, the temperature inside the house rivaled the piping hot weather outdoors. We had to go to the community center to keep the kids from feeling sick. While we were gone, we had a local HVAC contractor fix the unit. She let us know that some simple maintenance tasks would prevent that situation in the future. I will use this site to closely explore those tasks in great detail. I hope you can use the information to keep your air conditioner running like new. Thanks.
You probably don't call out a professional to perform annual maintenance on your refrigerator or stove, so why does your heating system require expert attention once per year? Annual HVAC maintenance might seem unnecessary, but it's critical to keeping your home's heating system functioning reliably, safely, and efficiently.
An annual maintenance visit is particularly important for homes with gas-powered furnaces. This relatively quick inspection provides numerous benefits; deferring maintenance for too long can cost you far more money in the long run. If you haven't already scheduled an annual maintenance visit for your furnace, here are three reasons to stop waiting.
1. Heat Exchangers Are Dangerous
Your furnace's heat exchanger is its most critical component, with modern, high-efficiency designs often using two heat exchangers to extract as much energy from the exhaust stream as possible. The heat exchanger allows the furnace to heat the air in your home using energy produced by combustion without exposing you or your family to harmful combustion byproducts.
Unfortunately, old and poorly maintained heat exchangers can develop cracks, potentially allowing carbon monoxide to enter your home. Your technician will check the condition of the heat exchanger during annual maintenance visits, helping to ensure it remains safe to operate. This simple yearly check can help protect your family from a significant and very real hazard.
2. Maintenance and Efficiency Go Hand-in-Hand
Do you enjoy spending more money than necessary to heat your home? No one does, but ignoring routine furnace maintenance can often lead to inefficient operation and high utility bills. Gas furnaces are relatively clean when working properly, but a poorly maintained unit may burn inefficiently, producing excessive particulates and soot.
Although these particles won't affect air quality, they can coat interior furnace components such as heat exchangers, burners, or igniters. This build-up can further reduce efficiency and cause your furnace to stop working. Part of any routine maintenance visit will involve checking and cleaning the interior of the furnace cabinet, helping to ensure efficient and reliable operation.
3. Well-Maintained Furnaces Last Longer
It's no secret that failing to change the oil on your car will probably cause the engine to fail prematurely, and your home's heating equipment is no different. Poor maintenance habits can put more stress on critical components, ultimately causing them to wear out more quickly. Since gas furnaces deal with combustion and relatively high temperatures, poor maintenance can be particularly problematic.
The relatively low cost of an annual maintenance visit is a small price compared to replacing your home's heating system. Although maintenance can't prevent all failures, it can extend the life of some components and allow you to address problems earlier. For more information on heating system maintenance, contact a professional near you.
Share16 March 2023
