Six Reasons you need annual furnace maintenance.

Every year, about this time, you probably receive several direct mail pieces from different heating and cooling companies telling you to schedule a furnace tune-up.  But what most companies fail to tell you (and the reason most of these offers are ignored) is exactly why furnace maintenance is essential.  At Air Systems Mechanical Inc., we won’t sell you something you don’t need. So here is a list of reasons an annual inspection is so important to the efficiency of your furnace and the safety of your home.     

                                                                                   

Six Reasons You Need Annual Furnace Maintenance

Ensures proper airflow

During the furnace inspection, the technician should check your heating system to ensure it is receiving the proper airflow. Restricted or limited airflow places unnecessary strain on your system that can lead to high repair bills, higher operating cost, and a shortened life span.

Keeps you safe

Furnaces burn fuel to produce heat. This combustion process must be precise to maintain efficiency and safety. Even a small problem can lead to gas leaking into your home or dangerous carbon monoxide levels. Don’t take a chance with the health and safety of you and your family.

Reduce repairs

Every winter, we receive calls for heating problems that could have been easily prevented with regular maintenance. A furnace inspection not only includes cleaning that keeps your furnace running efficiently, but it also catches small problems before they turn into major repairs.

Save time and money

Getting a furnace inspection and cleaning now, before the weather is cold, is much more convenient than waiting for a repairman during the winter in a cold house without heat. It is also much cheaper.

Improves energy efficiency

A furnace inspection should include the cleaning and inspection of the burners, heat exchanger, and condensate drains. This keeps your furnace running efficiently all winter.

Maintains manufacturer’s warranty

If your furnace is under a manufacturer’s warranty, it is especially important for you to get an annual furnace inspection and cleaning. Manufacturers stipulate that their warranty becomes void if the heater is not regularly maintained. A furnace inspection can satisfy that requirement and maintain your warranty.

All of these things boil down to this: keeping you safe, and saving you money.

We all do maintenance to our cars without question, but fail to do proper maintenance to our heating and cooling systems. Just changing the air filter regularly is not maintenance! Our heating and cooling systems are mechanical devices just the same as our cars.  So, I have crunched some numbers, just to try to put things into perspective and show the importance of annual maintenance on your heating and cooling system.

The average family “drives” their home comfort system 2,500 hours per year, at full speed!

If you were to get into your car and drive it for 2,500 hours at 55 mph, you would have put 137,000 miles on your odometer and changed your oil 45 times.

The only way your home comfort system will be reliable and efficient to heat and cool your home is with proper maintenance.

Call our office at 724-774-9030 to schedule your full system cleaning and inspection. We are offering this valuable service for only $130 for a limited time only, so call today! Once we are done with our inspection and our service technician gives your system a clean bill of health, if you have an issue with your system this winter, we will come back to diagnose your issue free of charge.

EVEN MORE SAVINGS: If you call to schedule your furnace inspection and cleaning before October 1^st 2018, you will receive $20 off!  We look forward to hearing from you.            

                                                       

Sincerely,

Bill Gagric

Service Manager

Just Another Part of Your Routine

There are certain routines that are as common as having a cup of coffee in the morning. (Or, if you prefer, a big glass of orange juice or soft drink of choice.) When that’s your routine, you don’t keep deciding every day whether that’s how you’ll start your morning. You just keep doing it.

That’s how we’d like for everyone to think about routine service on your heating system. As winter sets in strong, it’s in your best interest (by far) to have your system serviced so that you can be assured of repair-free, safe operation throughout the season – and with the best energy efficiency your system can provide.

But what’s the best way to integrate this great idea in your routine? Start by reading this quick report, Making Routine Maintenance a Part of Your Seasonal Routine.

The Down and Dirty of Your Home Comfort System

As with most things, the better care you take of your heating and air conditioning unit, the better it will perform and the longer it will last. If you neglect your system, then it could be under performing, and this can really show on your energy bill. A system that is dirty, has to work harder, which causes a higher energy bill.  

There are simple things you can do to help take care of your system like changing your air filters. This keeps dust and dirt from getting into the system and clogging it up. Even if you religiously change your filter, your system still can collect dust. This dirt buildup reduces airflow through your system which makes it have to run longer to heat or cool your house. If your system is outside, it can also pick up debris from items like your dryer vents, leaves, lawn mower dust and grass clippings.

It’s important to get your system cleaned and tuned up at least once a year to keep it running safely and efficiently. Read this report about “The Cost of Neglecting Your Home Comfort System” to see more about the hidden costs of putting off maintenance for your home comfort system. 

A work out for your furnace?

Working Out

Every so often I’ll get motivated to start a new exercise plan. Since it’s been a long time in between my workouts, I have to make sure I stretch well and I usually end up sore anyway. It takes a couple weeks to get into the swing of things and back to my normal pace.

It’s like this with a lot of things. Football players have off-seasons where they aren’t playing as often so when the season rolls back around, they’ve got training camps, workouts and even practice games. We don’t expect them to take a break and come back performing better than last year.

So why do we do this with our home comfort systems? We haven’t used them all year and when the cold comes rolling in, we expect them to work 100%. Our systems are kind of like us; during the summer, they’ve done a lot of “sitting” so when the winter arrives, they need a little bit of help to be in their best working condition. It makes them much more efficient and can actually save you a lot of money. Want to learn how to get your system performing better? Read about our “Ultimate Furnace Tune-Up” to find out how to give your home comfort system the “workout” it needs

A furnace tune up can save you money

Did You Know…

About half of the energy used in your home goes to heating and cooling. That means your home comfort system can have a big effect on your utility bills. So taking care of it can save you a lot of money on your energy bills and also improve your home comfort.

A good way to keep your system running smoothly and efficiently through each season is to get a tune-up. I know what you’re thinking; that’s what you do for a car. But your home cooling system, like a car, requires maintenance to run well.  Just like a tune-up for your car can increase your gas mileage, a tune-up for your cooling system can increase efficiency and comfort.

If you are interested in learning more about how to get your system tuned up and ready for the weather change, read “Smart Home Value.” You can get your home comfort system where it needs to be and start seeing instant savings.