Staying warm in your Salida home requires a reliable and efficient furnace. Your system works hard to bring comfort inside your home and requires a little extra care from time to time. With annual furnace tune-ups, our technicians comb through your system, fine-tuning, cleaning, and adjusting your furnace to ensure it’s ready for the winter months ahead. Learn more about the work we do during your annual maintenance visit and then call us today to book your appointment.
Visual Inspection
Our technicians visually inspect all the different parts and components of your heating system, making sure everything is as it should be. We look at the fan belt, checking for cracks and ensuring it is tight. We examine the heat exchanger and burner to spot signs of damage that could interfere with sufficient and safe heating. We check the blower to know that it works as it should to give your home the hot air needed through the vents. During visual inspection, our technicians look through the system to find any signs of damage or malfunction that could hinder proper heating and make adjustments where needed. If parts require replacement, we schedule your repair service promptly to ensure your system is ready to go when the winter chill sets in.
Clean Inside Unit
Dust and debris may settle inside your furnace during the warmer months when the system isn’t in use. Our technicians wipe these contaminants from the outside of the unit and clean off parts on the inside. We clear dust from the fan, burner, and other components to prevent added stress on the system that could result in premature breakdowns and decreased efficiency. This cleaning also helps with indoor air quality and the cleanliness of your home. Keeping dust out of the furnace keeps dust from circulating through your air ducts.
Lubricate Moving Parts
Some parts inside your heating system move during operation. Our technicians identify these parts and lubricate them as needed. The lubrication helps reduce wear and tear from friction as the parts move against others, keeping them in better condition and helping extend the life of the parts.
Clear Condensate Drain Line
Your furnace produces moisture as it creates heat for your home. A condensate drain line carries the water made from this moisture away from your furnace and out of the house. We inspect the drain line and make sure it is clear and free of clogs so water can pass through safely without backups. Water that cannot leave the system can create damaging conditions inside the furnace and lead to failures.
Inspect Electric and Gas Connections
Your furnace relies on electricity for power and may utilize gas for heating. Our technicians inspect the wiring and power supply to your furnace, checking for signs of damage or loose connections. We also test the voltage and currents to ensure your system has enough power to provide sufficient heating but not too much that it creates unsafe operating conditions.
For gas furnaces, we tighten and adjust the gas lines and valves, making sure they are secure to prevent leaks. Gas leaks are extremely hazardous to the health of the occupants of your home and in some extreme cases can lead to explosions. We test carbon monoxide levels that may indicate a gas leak and we test the gas pressure to ensure it is at a safe level.
Test Safety Controls
Many heating systems have safety controls that restrict operation when a malfunction is detected. We test these safety controls during your annual maintenance visit. If the controls do not work as they should, it could cause damage to your system or create dangerous conditions in your home. If we detect a problem with the safety controls, our technicians will schedule repairs right away and you should refrain from using your furnace until they have been fixed and tested.
Check Pilot Light
We make sure the pilot light on your gas furnace is lit and stays lit during your tune-up session. The pilot light should glow a bright blue color to indicate that it is interacting with the gas to produce heat. A yellow flame indicates that gas is not present. If your pilot light is yellow, you may have run out of gas, have a blocked or faulty gas line, or have a gas leak. Our technicians will carefully find the problem and fix it to prevent unsafe conditions in your home.
Assess For Adequate Heating
Once we are finished working through the inside of your furnace, we’ll power the system on and test for proper airflow. The technicians check that you are getting heat from all the vents in your home and that your furnace runs properly to reach the desired temperature. Insufficient and uneven heating can be caused by stress on the system, damaged parts, or problems within the ductwork. Our technicians can deal with any of these problems through our skilled repair services.
Listen for Odd Sounds
Your furnace should operate quietly. You might hear a low electrical sound from the furnace when it powers on and blows hot air and you’ll hear the air blowing through the ducts and vents. However, if you have loud banging sounds or popping and cracking, it warrants further investigation. Some sounds may indicate a faulty component in the system while others could be caused by debris or holes in the ductwork.
Check for Foul Odors
Your furnace is supposed to operate without smell. If we detect any strange smells while the furnace is running, we will take a closer look at the system and find the cause.
Calibrate and Assess Thermostat
Your thermostat should accurately read the temperature inside your home so that you can control the comfort of your space. We check your thermostat to ensure that it matches the temperature in the room and calibrate the device if it doesn’t. We also may look for things that can interfere with proper function such as nearby heat-producing appliances or a vent blowing out hot air. The thermostat should be in a location that isn’t affected by added heat and should be in an open area for the most accurate readings.
Heating Maintenance Professionals
At Loves Air, we strive for excellence when tuning your furnace for the upcoming winter. Our technicians live in the area and understand the importance of reliable, safe, and efficient heating during the cold season and work diligently to ensure your furnace is ready. We provide a range of other skilled HVAC services as well, including furnace and AC repairs and installations. Our technicians also install and service ductless mini-split systems, whole-house fans, water heaters, solar panels, and windows. Finally, count on us for your ductwork services and we’ll help you keep your home at an ideal temperature no matter what the weather outside may bring.
Keep warm this winter in your Salida home by keeping your furnace on track with a tune-up from our skilled heating services team.
Call Loves Air today to get your services scheduled right away.
