Though winters are mild in Modesto, it’s still important to have a functioning furnace for those chilly nights. Keeping your furnace in optimal condition requires special care through professional inspection and furnace maintenance service. This helps spot problems early, keeps your system tuned and clean, and gives you reliable, safe, and efficient heating. Learn more about the work we do when we inspect and tune your furnace so you can understand how these tasks prevent damage and keep your system on track.
Clean Dust and Debris Out of System
The first step of furnace maintenance involves cleaning the heating system. Our technicians wipe dust and dirt away from the outer surfaces of your furnace before diving in. Once inside the furnace, we carefully wipe away dust and dirt that accumulates during the year while your furnace sits idle. Removing this buildup from your system helps the furnace work under less stress for greater efficiency and a lower risk of breakdowns.
Visually Inspect for Problems
Next, we thoroughly inspect your furnace. This visual inspection helps our technicians spot damage that can hinder the function of your furnace. We look at the blower and fan for signs of excess wear and tear that could cause it to slow down or stop. We check the burner and heating element for cracks or other problems that could prevent your system from creating heat. We also look at belts, checking for cracks and making sure they are tight. Through this inspection, we can identify potential problems and hazards so that repair service can be scheduled before those chilly winter temperatures creep in.
Lubricate to Prevent Wear and Tear
Some parts of your heating system move when the furnace creates and blows air. This includes gears and other components that may rub against each other or other parts of the furnace. Our technicians carefully inspect these parts for signs of excess wear and apply lubricant to prevent damage from friction. Only a trained professional HVAC technician should lubricate the system, as too much lubricant or lubricant in the wrong spots can create a greasy mess that adds stress to your furnace.
Clear Condensate Drain Line
Moisture is produced inside your heating system as hot air is created. This moisture exits the system through a designated condensate drain line. Our technicians inspect the drain line, ensuring it is connected securely and has no holes or other damage that could allow the water to leak into the furnace. Additionally, we make sure the drain line is clear and not blocked, which could result in the water backing up into the furnace. With the many electrical components inside your furnace, it is imperative that the water has a safe pathway to leave the system to prevent damage.
Inspect Utility Components
Your heating system requires electricity to operate and many utilize gas for fuel to create the heat that warms your home. Our technicians inspect the electrical wiring of your furnace, ensuring all wires are securely connected and not frayed or otherwise damaged. We test the voltage and currents in this wiring to ensure it is sufficient for proper operation but not too high to create dangerous conditions. Faulty wiring can stop your system from powering on. What’s worse though, is that frayed or loose wires have the potential to create shocks, surges, and electrical fires.
We also check gas hookups, making sure they are tight with no gaps or leaks. Gas leaks may cause serious health issues or even death. Gas leaks mixed with sparks or flames cause explosions that could level your home. We test for carbon monoxide during this phase of maintenance, ensuring that gas isn’t leaking. We also make sure the gas valve is open to supply fuel to the furnace, and we test gas pressure to make sure it’s within normal and safe operating limits.
Test Safety Controls
Many heating systems have safety controls and mechanisms that shut down the system when malfunctions are detected. This may include the presence of water where it shouldn’t be or voltage and pressure outside of normal limits. If any of these safety tests fail, your furnace is not safe to use until repairs are made and the controls pass the tests. If safety controls fail to work properly, your furnace may become damaged and your home and personal safety will be at risk.
Check Pilot Light
As we look through your furnace, we pay special attention to the pilot light. The flame should be lit and stay lit in order to burn the fuel needed to create hot air. The flame should be bright blue. If your pilot light is yellow, this indicates the absence of gas. This could be due to a faulty gas line, inadequate gas supply, or a gas leak. It is extremely important for us to find the issue and make repairs immediately to prevent catastrophic damages and health issues.
Monitor Airflow
Once we complete our inspection and tuning, we turn the furnace on and check the airflow from your vents. You should have consistent heat coming from all vents in your home, and the furnace should continue to run until the desired temperature is achieved. Uneven or insufficient airflow can indicate a problem inside the furnace or an issue with your home’s ductwork.
Listen and Smell
While the furnace runs, our technicians carefully listen for unusual sounds. Banging and clanging noises in the furnace are an immediate cause for concern. Whistling, popping, and cracking may also signal furnace problems or could be attributed to debris within the air ducts.
The air from your vents should be odor free and the furnace itself should not have a smell. If we notice any unusual smells while the home is heating up, we’ll look further to find the cause. Debris in the ductwork may leave the hot air smelling bad, but a malfunction in the furnace might also cause strange smells.
Verify Thermostat Location and Accuracy
Your thermostat should be located in an open area without obstruction by furniture, appliances, or other items. Additionally, do not place heat-producing appliances near the device, as this could cause the thermostat to detect a higher temperature in the house than is accurate.
Our technicians will also verify that the thermostat is properly reading the temperature of your home. If the temperature on the device does not match the temperature of the room around it, we a adjust the thermostat to bring it back to an accurate calibration.
Turn to the Trusted Professionals
At Loves Air, we are your home comfort experts. Our technicians are thoroughly trained and have the knowledge and skills needed to tackle all your cooling and heating services with care and precision. Along with trusted comprehensive heating and cooling maintenance, we offer skilled repair services for your furnace and air conditioner. We install and replace heating and cooling systems, including mini-split air conditioners. We also provide dedicated ductwork solutions and install water heaters, windows, and solar energy equipment. Rounding out our home comfort offerings, count on us for whole-house fans.
Trust your home comfort to the top heating and cooling technicians in Modesto by scheduling your preventative furnace inspection and maintenance with Loves Air today.
