As your furnace ages, it must work harder to do a good job of heating your home and in the process, a variety of things can go wrong.
It is very important that a service technician inspect your furnace on a regular basis. Not only will this ensure your safety, but it will also uncover small problems before they become large and expensive ones.
While some furnace parts can be removed and replaced, such as the motor, fan and blower wheel, there are a multitude of smaller parts that may need to be fixed or replaced and a service technician can easily spot them. You should schedule a service technician annually to ensure a furnace cleaning and tune-up that can save up to 20 percent on your heating bill.
Having your furnace inspected on a regular basis will also eliminate any health problems and/or potentially dangerous situations. This includes testing for carbon monoxide, as well as re-installing air filters. A service technician will also check to see if the thermostat and safety controls are working properly. The technician will also check the motor, fan and blower operation. He or she will check the tension and alignment of the fan belt and make any necessary adjustments. The service burners will be checked to ensure proper combustion and ignition, as well as the piping from the furnace. For gas furnaces, the technician will check the pilot safety system and make repairs if necessary. All of those inspections should give you more confidence that your furnace will continue to provide safe and energy efficient comfort for your family. A service technician can also answer any questions you might have. If your furnace is 15 years or older, it would be wise to replace it with a more energy efficient new one. While purchasing a new furnace is a major investment, you will be delighted with the comfort provided for your family, as well as the amount of money you will save in the long run.
When looking for a new furnace, you need to consider a number of things, including the size of your home. You will also want to take advantage of the noise-reducing feature on most new furnaces. Two-stage heating provides low-stage heating the majority of the time and only switches to high stage when outside temperatures fall. This feature will definitely save you money. As well, you should have a DC motor, which operates on a lower fan speed 90 per cent of the time.
This feature offers quieter operation and can save you several hundred dollars a year on energy costs. Some of the new furnaces also have a computerized self-diagnostic system that gives a technician an accurate readout on failed components, so he or she can make repairs faster. That means a lower service bill for you.
If you would like to have your furnace inspected and/or repaired, one of our service technicians will be promptly sent out to help you. For those of you living in the Los Angeles County area, you will want to go to www.chiefappliance.com. Service technicians are available at no extra charge at night and on weekends or holidays.
