You’ve probably heard that your furnace should be serviced by an HVAC professional at least once a year. For some people, that might sound unnecessary. After all, a good furnace should last for 15 to 20 years, and you really only use it during the winter season. It stands to reason that you can skip a year if you haven’t noticed any serious issues and you’re trying to save money.
While there might be some logic behind all of that, the truth is that your furnace should at least be inspected once a year, preferably before you have to turn it on for the winter. Here are five reasons why.
1. It Can Help Save You Money
Even though you do have to pay to have your furnace serviced, doing so can save you money in the long run. First of all, maintenance tasks, such as lubricating the moving parts of your heating system and cleaning out dirty air ducts, will improve your furnace’s efficiency. A more efficient furnace uses less energy to heat your home, which will result in lower utility bills.
Second of all, a well-maintained furnace will be less likely to require repairs during the winter. As much as you might not want to pay a technician to tighten electrical connections or replace worn parts, these kinds of things can prevent catastrophic damage later on. It costs a lot of money to repair a broken furnace and even more to buy a new unit. It makes much more sense to pay a smaller maintenance bill now rather than a large repair bill in the middle of the winter.
2. You Will Have a More Efficient Furnace
If you have a larger home, you probably know how difficult it is to keep it warm during the winter. Some parts of the house will be a comfortable temperature, while others will take some time to heat up properly. Keeping your furnace in good condition will help avoid the worst of this so that you can feel comfortable in your home during the coldest months of the year.
3. It Can Improve Your Home’s Air Quality
Your HVAC system does more than keep your home at a comfortable temperature; it also removes dust and other pollutants from the air in your home. This is true throughout the year, but it is especially important during the winter when you’re going to be spending more time indoors. Part of regular furnace maintenance is cleaning or replacing your HVAC filter and cleaning out your air ducts, both of which will improve your home’s air quality.
4. It Might Maintain Your Furnace’s Warranty
Annual service can validate your furnace’s warranty. If you have a furnace that has been installed within the last few years, check your warranty to see if this is the case. Even if it isn’t, an inspection could uncover repairs that need to be made that are covered by a warranty.
5. It Helps Prevent Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Finally, regular furnace maintenance can help prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas that is deadly in large amounts. It can also be leaked by a cracked heat exchanger, which is a common problem in old furnaces. You should have at least one carbon monoxide detector in your home, but you should also be making sure that your furnace isn’t leaking carbon monoxide. This is perhaps the best reason for scheduling a furnace inspection every year, especially since you might not know you have a problem until your furnace sets off your carbon monoxide detector.
Schedule Your Furnace Maintenance Today
Even if your furnace has been working reliably for years, it should still be serviced at least once a year. If you haven’t scheduled a service call lately, Putnam Mechanical will be happy to assist you. Putnam Mechanical has served homes in Mooresville, NC and the surrounding areas since 2006. Not only do we provide high-quality furnace maintenance and inspections, but we also provide AC maintenance, electrical services, and much more.
For more information about the HVAC and electrical services that we offer or if you need to have your furnace serviced before the winter, contact Putnam Mechanical in Mooresville today.
