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With fall on the way, it’s time to start thinking about your heater. Sure, you probably won’t have to turn it on for a few more weeks. But, you want it to be ready when you do. The best way to make sure your home in Dover, PA is ready for winter is with a heater tune-up.
In this article, we’ll explain exactly what a tune-up means and go over four of the big benefits you get.
If you have any questions or want to set an appointment for your home, call or email us today at Air Comfort Technologies. We serve Dover, York, and all across Central Pennsylvania.”
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What Do I Get With a Heater Tune-Up?
A heater tune-up is a form of preventative maintenance for your HVAC system. A certified HVAC tech cleans and inspects your entire HVAC system to make sure it’s prepared and optimized for the cold weather. The whole process only takes about an hour.
During that time, the tech looks over every part of the heater. They’ll fix or replace any broken or worn-down parts. That includes checking and cleaning all the electrical components. They’ll also clear out any dust or debris that’s built up — that stuff can make it difficult for the machine to work properly. Finally, they look for any leaks that could cause a carbon monoxide build-up in your home.
The process keeps you safe and comfortable with lower energy bills all winter long. Let’s see how.
Four Benefits of a Heater Tune-Up
Getting a heater tune-up every fall means enjoying these benefits all winter:
- Lower Energy Bills
- Less Chance of a Breakdown
- Better Comfort
- Your Heater Lasts Longer
Lower Energy Bills
Proper HVAC service makes sure your system runs smoothly. When the heater is optimized, it uses less energy to do the job than if it’s dusty or parts are worn out. And, when it uses less energy, you pay for less energy.
This process works regardless of whether your system uses electricity, oil, gas, propane, or other energy sources. You want it to use as little as possible, so you pay for as little as possible. When all the moving parts are lubricated, and nothing prevents them from moving the way they should, you use less power.
Less Chance of a Breakdown
The quick explanation here is that you’re less likely to call us for furnace repair if everything is working correctly. That’s true, but it’s only part of the story here.
One of the best features of regular HVAC service is catching problems before they start. We mentioned how a tech replaces worn-out parts during a tune-up. That’s a huge deal because a deteriorating fan belt, for instance, isn’t causing a problem — yet.
When our techs find an issue like this, they know your system probably made it through last year just fine. But, that won’t be the case for the upcoming winter. All the stress and work your heater’s about to do will cause that already-compromised component to break.
At that point, you’re stuck with a more expensive repair. It’s very likely one part breaking caused a problem somewhere else before you noticed it. Now, you’re stuck without heat — and you may not get it back on right away.
Furnace Repair Waitlists in the Winter
Here’s the next problem: Getting a tech out to see your system. Winter is a busy, busy season for HVAC contractors. And, the ones with the best reputation get the most calls. That means you’re likely to get put on a first-come-first-served waitlist for furnace repair. It could take days, even more than a week, in the cold before someone sees yours.
At that point, you have two choices: Turn on a space heater (which can be expensive and also dangerous) or pay extra for priority service.
You can get ahead of all these potential pitfalls by having the tech come out in the fall to replace anything that may cause a problem later.
Better Comfort
Of course, your system doesn’t have to break down to cause a problem — and in some ways, that’s even worse. If your heater suddenly shuts off or never kicks on, you know to call for furnace repair right away. However, sometimes you don’t even realize what’s causing a problem.
For instance, a typical call is someone finally realizing their house just isn’t getting warm enough in the winter. A lot of times, it takes a few weeks of feeling increasingly uncomfortable before someone realizes they should have more heat.
Or they notice something small like weaker air circulation or their heater shutting on and off a lot more than usual. Those problems will also result in your home being colder in the winter. And a preventative maintenance visit will often head this stuff off before it takes place.
Your Heater Lasts Longer
Finally, you’ll have fewer headaches and more money in the long run when your heater runs for a decade or longer. Replacing a furnace is expensive, so you want to do it as rarely as possible. You also don’t want to make a quick decision and scrape together money because your heater finally failed for good during the coldest months of the year.
And, let’s face it: That’s when it’s most likely to break down. Your heater’s working the hardest in January and February. These are the months when all that stress causes a failure — not in, say, March or early November, when it’s just a little chilly out.
Preventative maintenance keeps your HVAC system in great shape, so it lasts for as many years as possible.
HVAC Service in Dover, PA
Don’t wait until you have an expensive problem with your HVAC system! With preventative maintenance, you’ll avoid the hassle of an inconvenient, expensive furnace repair in the dead of winter for your home in Dover, PA. Instead, call Air Comfort Technologies this fall for a heater tune-up. You’ll pay a fraction of the price that you would for a service call later on, and it only takes an hour or so.
