(BPT) – Temperatures are falling, pumpkin spice everything has reappeared and stores have already put out holiday displays — all signs that winter is either on the way, or already here, depending on where you live. If you haven’t already had your heating system tuned up, now is the time.
Neglect is a top cause of heating system inefficiency and failure, according to ENERGYSTAR.gov. Proper maintenance can help ensure your system works as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible throughout the winter. Failing to care for your heating system now could leave you without heat or with hefty emergency repair bills if the system breaks down during very cold weather.
A tune-up is an inexpensive way to ensure heating equipment is operating properly, and provides peace of mind that no potentially harmful blockage exists in a flue or exhaust vent. While it’s best to service a heating system before the cold weather arrives, it’s also never too late to perform routine maintenance.
According to the home repair experts at HomeServe USA, a typical professional heating system tune-up will include:
* Inspect safety features and controls
* Check thermostats (including adjustment if needed)
* Inspect burners (with adjustments if necessary)
* Check and clean the pilot light
* Check and clean any gauges
* Flush low-water cutoff
* Inspect filters, belts, oil motors, pumps and condensate line (if applicable)
* Check the flue pipe and chimney draft
* Inspect and clean the blower assembly
A thorough tune-up before the heating season starts can help reduce the risk of a problem in the dead of winter, but you should still be aware of your system’s performance. Symptoms that may warrant having a professional check the system include:
* The system takes a long time to warm the house after the furnace comes on.
* You hear unusual noises when the furnace turns on.
* You’ve noticed an unusual amount of dust coming from heating vents.
* The system cycles constantly.
* The burner flame is yellow or flickering. The flame should be blue in natural gas furnaces; a yellow flame means the unit is not burning efficiently and may even be producing harmful carbon monoxide.
* You notice your heating bills have increased more than you would reasonably expect given the temperature outside.
* You experience excessive moisture building up on windows, walls and other cold surfaces.
* You find visual evidence, such as streaks of soot around the furnace, rusting on flue pipes or pipe connections or the vent pipe visible from outside the home, or water leaking from the base of the chimney, vent or flue pipe.
If you act quickly at the first sign of a problem, you may be able to avoid a costly and potentially dangerous failure of your heating system. For more information about why you should schedule a tune-up, visit www.nationaltuneupday.com.
HomeServe offers home heating protection plans, including ones that cover tune-ups. A 24-hour repair hotline ensures plan holders can be connected with local, licensed and insured technicians 365 days a year. Visit www.HomeServeUSA.com to learn more.
