You may think that if your furnace is working properly right now, you don’t need to call a professional technician to visit. However, if you are neglecting annual maintenance, you could be causing damage to your furnace and missing out on a lot of extra money in your pocket. Here are four ways that professional furnace maintenance saves you money.
1. Less Frequent Repairs
The cost of furnace repairs will always be more than the cost of a tune-up. Annual furnace maintenance is a great way to catch problems early before they become more serious. Without annual maintenance, you could even find yourself faced with a furnace breakdown caused by undetected problems. Annual maintenance gives you peace of mind that you won’t be stuck without heat for hours or days. There are several ways that professional maintenance helps to prevent repairs and breakdowns. A technician will thoroughly clean the interior of your furnace to prevent dust from damaging sensitive internal components. Your technician will also check the gas supply for blockages and leaks, inspect the blower motor for wear, and check for cracks or defects in the heat exchanger.
2. Better Energy Efficiency
In addition to preventing costly repairs, annual maintenance helps to make your furnace more affordable to operate in general. All furnaces lose energy efficiency with time, but neglecting your furnace will only make this happen more quickly. Professional furnace maintenance is a great way to enjoy a lower energy bill throughout the heating season. One of the key causes of furnace efficiency loss is restricted airflow. During a maintenance call, a technician will check your furnace filter and clean or replace it if it is clogged with dust and dirt. Low refrigerant levels will also force your furnace to work harder and draw more energy, and an annual inspection is a great time to get your refrigerant recharged.
3. Longer System Life
Naturally, maintenance that helps your furnace break down less often and run more efficiently can greatly extend its life. The question of whether to repair or replace your furnace often comes down to finances. If repairs are becoming more frequent and more expensive, it may be more cost effective to replace the furnace instead. Furnace maintenance reduces the frequency of repairs, and repairs that are needed will often be less serious and less expensive than they would otherwise. With annual maintenance, you can often get several more years of life out of your furnace before replacing it becomes more cost effective than repairing it.
4. Avoid Voiding Your Warranty
Reading and understanding your furnace warranty is one of the most important things you can do to save money on essential repair and replacement. Many manufacturers will replace major components, such as the blower motor or heating element, if they become defective within a certain window of time. Others even provide full furnace replacement under certain conditions. However, most manufacturers require that you meet one important stipulation: performing annual maintenance. Neglecting annual maintenance voids many manufacturers’ warranties because of the extra wear and tear that it causes on your furnace. Their reasoning is that if you had maintained your furnace, the problem that needs warranty repair or replacement may have never occurred. Check your warranty to determine if your furnace manufacturer requires annual maintenance in the warranty terms.
Like any other appliance, your furnace needs regular maintenance to provide the best performance for your home. If you are in need of an annual HVAC maintenance provider, contact us at Mauzy Heating, Air & Solar. Our professional technicians can help keep your furnace running smoothly and efficiently for years to come!