Your furnace will last a lot longer if you take care of it properly, which means having regular maintenance checks to make sure everything is in working order. Jeff Stienstra of Stienstra Heating and Cooling in Hudsonville, Michigan talks here about why it’s so important to call in the right guys…
The best thing to do is preventative or routine maintenance on your furnace every year. Have a cleaning check done on your furnace and air conditioner annually. Our friendly service technicians offer residential and commercial repair, maintenance and installation services, as well as same-day emergency service
The main thing we need to do is make sure that your furnace stays clean, and that it is igniting okay. Top on the list is making sure that the filters are changed regularly. That means anywhere from one month to two months, depending on the filter, they all have different lifetimes. Check the label when you put your filter in.
Preventing Water Leaks
Furnaces that have air conditioning need to be checked regularly as well. There can be water leaks from the air conditioner drain, which can damage the furnace’s control system. We see that as a fairly common thing, although it can easily be prevented. When a leak is not addressed, it pretty much destroys the whole circuitry of the furnace.
Another thing that is a part of maintenance is having someone in to clean and check the flame sensor. We either clean it or replace it if it is worn out. If it is bad or dirty, your furnace will not stay lit or not light at all, so it is important to have it checked every year.
Saving Electricity
Saving on your heating bills is also important. So check the electrical amp draw of the blower motor and inducer motor. A motor drawing too much electricity is a sign that the internal components are wearing out or the blower wheel is out of alignment. This higher amp draw is costing you more to run. Replacing a worn-out motor with a new one will not only save you electricity, but it will also be running and blowing better as well as preventing a breakdown during the cold winter months.
Don’t do these checks yourself. You should call a certified trained technician, a professional company that is certified and licensed in your state. There are people who will do it on the side but they have no liability insurance and are technically illegal. I recommend using a trained professional service company, such as Stienstra Heating and Cooling.
