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When winter is looming, it’s essential to prepare your home for the rigors of the coming season. While the Dallas-Fort Worth area, including Garland, is known for its generally mild winters, we still experience cold snaps and freezing temperatures that put a strain on heating systems. Your furnace is one of the most critical systems in your home, and it works hard to keep everyone under your roof warm.
Unfortunately, many homeowners neglect regular furnace tune-ups and put them off until something goes wrong. Lack of annual maintenance can result in expensive repairs and health risks. Additionally, breakdowns caused by insufficient maintenance frequently happen when it’s cold outside because your heating system is operating near its maximum capacity. You can avoid many of these issues by committing to a proactive routine of furnace maintenance.
Breakdown Prevention
A well-maintained furnace is much less likely to suffer an unexpected breakdown. In addition to being a hassle, furnace breakdowns can be costly to fix, especially if they occur during a cold snap when heating services are in high demand.
Improved Energy Efficiency
When a furnace is at peak performance, it uses less fuel to do its job. Faulty parts, dirty internal components, or a clogged filter can make a furnace work harder than it has to, increasing monthly bills. The Department of Energy estimates that a lack of maintenance can increase heating costs by 15%, a notable increase given the rising energy costs in Texas.
Longer Lifespan
Routine maintenance can extend a furnace’s lifespan by preventing needless wear and tear. A well-maintained furnace might last 15 to 20 years or even longer, but a neglected unit will often fail prematurely. In Dallas-Fort Worth, where heating systems aren’t used as extensively as in colder regions, proper maintenance can help stretch the lifespan even further.
Improved Indoor Air Quality
Furnaces that aren’t cleaned regularly can circulate pollutants, particulate matter, allergens, and dust through your home. Cleaning a heating system’s internal components is critical to furnace maintenance. By keeping your home free of contaminants, you help everyone stay healthy.
Increased Safety
Furnace malfunctions can do more than temporarily cause your system to fail. For instance, the limit switch shuts down your system if it overheats to prevent a fire hazard. Alternatively, the pressure switch triggers if your system is not venting exhaust gases properly. Regular maintenance ensures all safety features are functioning correctly, protecting your home and family from potential hazards.
How Heating System Maintenance Prevents Winter Breakdowns
Even in a milder climate like Dallas-Fort Worth, winter is the season when a furnace works hardest. Preventative furnace maintenance helps identify and rectify small issues before they escalate into larger problems during the colder months.
Early Detection of Wear and Tear
Bearings, motors, and belts are among the many furnace components that can wear down over time. A technician performing a maintenance check will examine these components for early signs of wear and tear, ensuring your system continues to run smoothly.
Lubrication
Without proper lubrication, the moving parts of your furnace, such as bearings and fan motors, can suffer preventable wear and tear. Routine maintenance ensures these parts are lubricated and operating efficiently, reducing the chance of breakdowns.
Thermostat Inspection
The thermostat is essential for temperature regulation. If it’s not working properly, it may cause your furnace to cycle on and off too often or misread the indoor temperature. A technician can calibrate the thermostat and check its connection to your furnace to ensure accurate performance.
Ventilation Upkeep
Proper ventilation is critical for furnace safety. Inadequate ventilation or a blocked flue can lead to dangerous carbon monoxide buildup. Regular maintenance includes cleaning the flue and ensuring it exhausts gases safely outside your home.
Electrical Component Testing
Furnaces rely on electrical components, such as control boards, ignition systems, and wiring. Loose or damaged connections can cause system malfunctions or even pose an electrical fire hazard. Routine maintenance involves testing these components and tightening any connections to keep your system safe.
Heat Exchanger Cleaning
The heat exchanger transfers heat from the combustion chamber to the air circulating through your home. Over time, soot can accumulate on the exchanger, reducing efficiency. Cleaning this component during maintenance ensures optimal heat transfer. If the heat exchanger is cracked, it poses a serious safety risk as it can leak carbon monoxide into your home. Unfortunately, cracked heat exchangers are often expensive to repair, and replacement may be necessary. Your technician will advise you on the best course of action.
Scheduling Furnace Maintenance
The best time to revitalize your furnace is in the fall, before the coldest weather arrives. This gives you time to schedule any necessary repairs at a convenient time. However, even if it’s mid-winter, it’s never too late to schedule a maintenance appointment and to ask us about our membership programs! Ideally, your furnace should be serviced annually to keep it running efficiently and extend its lifespan, especially older models that have experienced more wear and tear.
Regular professional maintenance is key to keeping your furnace running smoothly, but there are a few tasks you can handle yourself between visits. The most important is changing the furnace filter at least every three months. If you have pets or a larger household, you may need to replace it more often. Many homeowners check their filters monthly to ensure timely replacement.
Additionally, ensure that no household items, such as area rugs, curtains, or furniture, are blocking your return or supply vents. Blocked return vents can reduce airflow to your furnace, causing it to overheat, while blocked supply vents can result in uneven heating in your home.
Contact Your Local Pros
At On Time Experts, we’ve been proudly serving the residents of Garland, TX, and the surrounding Dallas-Fort Worth area since 1981. We install, maintain, and repair heating and cooling systems and can help with all your indoor air quality needs, including ductwork cleaning and whole-home air purification system installation.
As a comprehensive home care provider, we also offer plumbing services, such as sewer pipe repair and bathroom and kitchen remodeling assistance. Contact us today to schedule an appointment with one of our experienced team members.
