You’re probably aware of the widely-given advice that furnace maintenance should be done every year. And you’re probably convinced that it’s absolutely necessary in places like snowy New England or windswept Minnesota.
But this is Arizona! Do our furnaces need to be maintained every single year, even when they see much less use than in some parts of the country? Yes. Here’s why.
Safety
The most critical thing that your heating technician will do during maintenance is take steps to ensure the safety of you, your family, and your home. Gas and electric furnaces can both pose safety hazards. By inspecting and testing the safety mechanisms, electrical components, pilot, gas lines, and more, your technician will make sure your furnace is running safely.
Reducing Repair Needs
It’s not just overuse that can cause something to require repair. Sometimes sitting unused has its own risks, like for example mice building nests in your furnace or flue. During maintenance, the cleaning, lubrication, and inspection your furnace receives will reduce—by 85%!—the likelihood that you’ll need furnace repair in Tucson in the coming season. This saves you money and also prevents inconvenience.
Extending Furnace Life
While a gas furnace should last about fifteen years, and an electric one can last twenty, your furnace will only reach such an advanced age if you’re diligent about annual maintenance. When maintenance is performed rarely or not at all, that can cut furnace life expectancy in half. Replacing your furnace twice as often would be an extraordinary financial waste!
Improving Efficiency
The buildup of dust and the drying out of lubricant are two of the biggest factors affecting reduced furnace efficiency, and those things happen regardless of how much you do or don’t use your furnace. Furnace efficiency drops each year by about 5%. Don’t let that become 10% or 15%. Get maintenance right away so that your furnace’s efficiency can go right back up to what it once was.
Improving Effectiveness
Without maintenance, it’s easy for there to be problems which can cause your home’s heating to be insufficient—just never getting your house warm enough—or uneven—with some rooms being cozy but others always staying chilly. Your technician will ensure proper airflow and circulation and make sure your furnace is operating at full power.
Keeping Your Furnace Under Warranty
A warranty can prevent you from shouldering unnecessary costs. For example, if a component fails early, the manufacturer may pay for the parts and perhaps even the labor to replace it. But warranty agreements have requirements, and one of the requirements that’s almost always included is that your heating system has professional maintenance done annually.
Have we convinced you? Do you want to improve your safety, avoid costly repairs, keep your system running for as long as possible, boost efficiency and cut your utility bills, and stay as comfortable as possible? Yes? Are you ready to schedule heating maintenance? We hope so.
Contact Picture Rocks Cooling, Heating & Plumbing today to schedule an appointment with our professionals.