Top 3 Ways to Prevent Wear and Tear on Your Furnace
We know that we’re still feeling the heat here in ABQ, but it won’t be long before those nights start to cool down, and soon enough, you’ll be ready to turn on your furnace again. As an Albuquerque furnace repair company, we understand that any home or business owner wants longevity out of their furnace. So we want to help make sure you get the most mileage out of your furnace. As our owner, Carlos Griego has shared,
“[The] life expectancy of a furnace is anywhere from 12 to 15 years with regular maintenance. It’s no different than your car. Just because you buy a car with a 100,000-mile warranty on it—if you never change the oil, the warranty doesn’t apply. So if you have a furnace you’ve never maintained before in your life do you think you will get 12 to 15 years out of it? Probably not.”
In this blog, we want to share with you the top 3 ways to prevent wear and tear on your furnace so it lasts as long as it can.
Tip #1 Schedule a Fall Maintenance Appointment
Regular maintenance is not a gimmick! Unfortunately, many people just aren’t educated on the importance of routine maintenance for their HVAC systems. As Griego mentioned, much like a car, you aren’t going to get the most out of it if you don’t take it to get the oil changed and perform other maintenance.
Check out this past blog for a full run-down of what our techs do at a fall maintenance appointment. We will hit the highlights again here.
At Bosque Heating, Cooling & Plumbing, we recommend fall and spring maintenance each year whenever you switch from one system to the other. For people with a swamp cooler, these visits are even more necessary. But even for those with refrigerated air, it’s the perfect time to check in on the AC and make sure everything will be running smoothly with the furnace when you’re ready to turn it on. At a fall maintenance appointment, there are a few actions our team takes.
Turn Off and Inspect the Cooling System
Our staff members will shut off and close down your cooling system. They’ll also check the cooling system to make sure everything looks good. Then, our technician will ask you about how the system performed throughout the season. Were there any locations that were too cold or not cold enough? Our expert will inquire about your concerns in order to discover any issues we can assist you with.
Change Out the Air Filter
The next thing we do is replace the furnace filter. Replacing the filter is critical to keeping your home’s air clean. The filter blocks dirt, dust, mold spores, soot, germs, and allergens from entering your house’s air. Because it’s a product we believe in so strongly, we’ve been encouraging customers to consider SolaceAir’s electrostatic air filters that filter your home’s air to the same degree as an N95 face mask.
Inspect and Clean the Blower, Blower Wheel, Firebox, and Ignition System
First, we clean and inspect the blower and blower wheel. If dirt and grime build up on the blower wheel, it might cause it to be thrown off balance or even burn out the motor. Next, we inspect the firebox and ignition system to ensure that everything is in good working order and free of obstructions. Also, our expert checks the thermal couple and replace it if necessary on older furnaces with a standing pilot. Lastly, for newer furnaces, the technician will inspect the burner assembly and clean the flame sensing rod.
Test the Carbon Monoxide Levels
Carbon monoxide testing is an essential component of any fall maintenance visit because it ensures the safety of your home. You most certainly have carbon monoxide detectors in your house. However, our professional-grade measuring devices are superior to anything you can buy at a hardware store. And our equipment is maintained on a yearly basis.
By having a technician complete all of these tasks each fall (and similar, more AC related tasks in the spring) you’re ensuring that you can prevent the need for future repairs as well as unnecessary wear and tear.
Tip #2 Set Your Thermostat to a Comfortable Temperature
In a past blog on smart thermostats, we talked about a common heating and cooling myth. But we think it’s worth repeating here. The myth is that by turning the heat way down when you’re not home that you can save money on your energy bill.
The truth is, this practice causes a lot of wear and tear on your furnace, and it does not save you money to allow your home to get cold while you’re away and then heat it up. The constant back and forth, off and on, wears on the motor. And, it takes more energy to heat your home from 55 degrees than it does to keep the temperature within five degrees of your comfort zone. So,we suggest that in order to reduce wear and tear, keep your thermostat set to within five degrees of your comfort zone. It might seem counter-intuitive, but take our word for it!
You don’t need a smart thermostat to do this, although they can help. Whether you have a smart thermostat with an “eco mode” or an older thermostat that you can program, you can set your thermostat to stay within your comfortable limits and prevent serious temperature drop-offs while you are away.
An exception to this would be if you were going to be on vacation for a few days. Then you could justify turning the thermostat way down to save money.
Tip #3 Get Your Ducts and Vents Cleaned
When we service an HVAC system, we look at the furnace inside, and the air conditioning unit outside. But one thing we don’t spend much time on is your ductwork. And for homes with HVAC systems that have ducts, it’s an essential part of HVAC maintenance. If there is debris, dirt, animal fur, and other build-up on your vents and in your ducts, your furnace will have to work harder. If you want to prevent wear and tear on your furnace, getting your air ducts cleaned once every 3-5 years is a good thing to do.
Schedule Your Fall Maintenance Appointment Today
Have questions about reducing the wear and tear of your furnace or you want to schedule a fall maintenance appointment, please give us a call at (505) 444-7200. Or, you can send us an inquiry on our website.