Fall is almost here and now is a great time to have your heating system serviced by a good HVAC technician to get it ready for winter. Your HVAC system needs regular maintenance for best performance and the experts recommend having your system serviced twice a year to keep it operating efficiently and to maximize its service life.
You probably haven’t given much thought to your furnace since last spring. Your HVAC technician will re-light your pilot light if necessary and start your system to ensure that it comes on line and operates normally. He or she will also inspect and replace the filter if necessary, check the burners and heat exchangers for cracks, corrosion and wear, check electrical connections, and ensure that your thermostat is operating properly. In a gas furnace, a cracked heat exchanger is a serious problem because it can cause carbon monoxide poisoning.
If you have a heat pump or a central air conditioning system, the system pressure will be checked and the refrigerant topped up if necessary. The evaporator and condenser coils will be cleaned the heat pump will be run in heat mode to make sure the reversing valve works properly.
During the heating season, be sure to check and change your furnace or heat pump filters regularly. Once a month is usually sufficient unless you have a lot of pets or live in a dusty environment. Clogged air filters make the system work harder to heat and cool your home. This not only wastes energy, but it’s also hard on your heating and cooling equipment. Inexpensive pleated filters will protect your system better than standard fiberglass filters while allowing plenty of air flow.
