Ring in the New Year Well | Schedule an HVAC Maintenance Check

Posted on: Dec 31, 2019

A cold winter’s night is perfect for cuddling with a loved one to watch a movie, curling up under a blanket to read, or sipping a warm beverage while you recover from the stress of the holidays. But that picture of warmth can turn into a frigid nightmare when your furnace suddenly stops working. Schedule an HVAC maintenance check for 2020 to keep your heater and air conditioner in peak working order all year round. Importantly, preventative maintenance can prevent a minor issue from becoming a significant problem.

HVAC maintenance will spot potential unit failures, such as:

Short Cycling

Short cycling occurs when a furnace goes on and off every few minutes, even though the home has not reached the desired temperature. The cycling causes significant wear and tear over time, significantly decreasing your unit’s life span.

A loss of pressure can cause cycling issues. Cracks in the inducer, vest panel, or draft housing signal a loss of tension in the system, causing the furnace’s safety to trigger a shutdown. Once the pressure builds up again, the furnace cycles on.

Cracks that cause pressure loss can be repaired with relatively cheap replacement parts or when the crack is small enough, high-temperature sealant. In either case, your out of pocket expense is far lower than the cost of a significant repair or a new unit.

Poor Air Flow

Even the most powerful or advanced furnace is useless if the airflow isn’t reaching all areas of your home. Fortunately, poor airflow is often resolved through preventative HVAC maintenance since it usually stems from:

1. Blocked or closed intake vents, which can restrict the steady stream of cold air needed to keep the system running smoothly.
2. Dirty air filters can cause a particle to build up in the filter that will eventually cut off the intake flow when they are not changed every two to three months.
3. Dirt and grime in the blower wheels, which are an internal mechanism in your furnace that expel the warm air into your home, require preventative maintenance cleaning and oiling by an HVAC professional to ensure proper efficiency.

Faulty Sensors

Your HVAC unit has an array of safety features to keep your family safe in case of a gas leak or broken furnace. The flame sensor is perhaps the most critical of these features.

The flame sensor is a simple device that triggers whenever the gas line opens to allow gas into the furnace. If the sensor detects a flame, the gas continues to flow into the furnace; however, if no flame is present, the gas line closes. Repeated, failed attempts to find a spark can result in the sensor shutting the furnace down completely until it has been reset.

A comprehensive HVAC maintenance check cleans the sensor and replaces it if necessary. The inspection will also examine the ignitor and other elements of the ignition system to tackle preventable problems.

The best way to keep your HVAC maintenance costs low is to be proactive about your repairs. Contact us to schedule an HVAC Maintenance check or learn more about our maintenance plans and see how preventative maintenance can save your family money and headaches in the new year.