A good furnace is one you don’t have to think about. It works when you need it to, and heats your home with the press of a button.
But did you know that, on average, there are over 48,000 fires involving heating equipment in the United States? Most of which occur in the colder months of the year due to high heating use.
Getting a furnace check-up is essential to keeping your home safe and sound. In the article below, we’ll cover further reasons you need to keep your furnace and how you can do it.
Essential Airflow and Energy Efficiency
Outside of the dangers of a poorly maintained furnace, a healthy furnace is one that has proper airflow. Stuffy or gunked-up furnaces will have reduced airflow, leading to additional strain on your system.
If there is a significant blockage, your furnace could be working overtime as well. This means higher utility bills and less heat being pumped into your home.
To ensure build-up doesn’t occur and your furnace is working at peak efficiency, it’s advised to have it inspected and cleaned annually.
This also helps ensure that the air being pumped into your home is clean.
Detect Gas or Carbon Monoxide Leaks
Gas leaks are bad. And because many furnaces run off burning fuel, the potential for a gas leak in an unmaintained furnace is surprisingly high.
Carbon monoxide is an odorless and colorless gas that comes from burning fuel. People exposed to the gas can ultimately die from lack of oxygen, hence why homeowners should ensure they have working carbon monoxide detectors.
Of course, it’s best to tackle the issue at its source. Having a furnace inspected to ensure it isn’t leaking (or could leak) is crucial to keeping your home safe.
Fewer Repairs and Replacements
It’s self-explanatory that a well-maintained furnace will require fewer repairs than its non-maintained counterpart. And fewer repairs leads to less frequent replacements.
Many furnaces have 10-year warranties but can last far longer than that. Regardless of age, have it inspected annually to ensure it is working properly.
If it is under that 10-year mark, you can likely have the system fixed or replaced while under warranty. And if it’s older than 10-years, this is simply good practice to ensure you don’t wake up one wintry morning to a frigid home.
Furnace Maintenance
It’s advised to have your furnace inspected annually. The best times to have your furnace inspected are right after the winter season (as this is when demand is lowest).
However, the next best option is in the fall, sometime before the first frost. Once the weather gets cold, you don’t want your home freezing! Frigid weather can freeze your pipes and cause damage to your home if the furnace fails.
If you have further questions about maintaining your furnace, qualified professionals can help with your specific questions. Most offer free or low-cost inspection fees and can help clean or repair a furnace before it’s too late.
Get a Furnace Check-Up
A failed furnace in peak winter is a nightmare to deal with. Having an annual furnace check-up will confirm if you need a furnace tune-up or will be good to go for the frigid months.
Knowing everything about maintaining a home is hard. That’s why we’re here. Check out our featured blog posts below for more on regular home maintenance and repairs.