Heating systems get a lot of use in the late fall and throughout the winter. These units have many components that can wear down over time. This is why heating maintenance is so vital to a healthy home comfort system. Maintenance on your heating unit is a simple process. It involves inspecting, cleaning, and tuning up your system. Whether you have a boiler, furnace, heat pump, or any other type of unit, maintenance keeps operations running smoothly. For areas that go through harsh winters like Joliet, IL, a heating tune-up is essential. At Comfort First Heating and Cooling, we can help keep your system running at peak performance with our reliable maintenance. Proper maintenance for your heating unit helps ensure reliable operation when you need it the most.
Benefits of Routine Tune-Ups
A heating tune-up offers immediate and long-term advantages. For starters, a cleaner system does not have to work as hard to circulate conditioned air. The ease of operation reduces the stress on internal components. Neglected heating units struggle and tend to break down. There’s also a difference in your energy consumption, which your bills reflect. Struggling systems run longer and thus increase your bills. Systems that operate more smoothly for shorter periods help you save money.
Regular maintenance is also great for indoor air quality (IAQ). Dust and debris collect over time. Your furnace blows this stuff all throughout the home. With a clean heater and new filters, your IAQ dramatically improves.
- Lower monthly energy bills
- Extended equipment lifespan
- Improved indoor air quality
- Enhanced home safety
- Consistent heating performance
- Valid manufacturer warranties
What to Expect During Preventative Maintenance
When you schedule preventative maintenance, our team first inspects your system. We get an idea of how it’s running and how the air is circulating. Our goal here is to dive into the heating unit and check every component. We look at connections, the blower motor, belts, filters, the thermocouple, and every other component. At Comfort First Heating and Cooling, we take a methodical, meticulous approach to providing quality maintenance.
Inspect & Clean Components
To start our process, we perform a diagnostic inspection. This is a thorough assessment of your heating unit. We check its condition and functionality. The inspection includes burners, the heat exchanger, the blower motor, and other components. We get rid of any dust and soot on the heater and its components. Dirty components can cause your unit to overheat. They can also hinder heat transfer, resulting in a unit struggling to reach temperatures. We thoroughly clean your system to improve its performance. This also includes filter replacements, if necessary, which improves IAQ.
Lubricate Moving Parts
Just like a car engine or even a bicycle chain, moving parts need lubrication. Friction can easily cause a total motor failure in your heating unit. When we perform maintenance, we lubricate every moving part after the cleaning process. This includes any bearings, the blower fan assembly, and everything else that requires lubrication. Ultimately, this results in a much smoother, easier operation. The end result is that your heater doesn’t have to struggle to reach thermostat temperatures. This helps to extend the life of your system and potentially lower bills.
Ensure Proper Ventilation
Proper ventilation is absolutely crucial for smooth operation and for your family’s safety. When you don’t properly vent your heating uni, the risk of CO exposure is high. All fuel-burning heating units produce carbon monoxide. The fact that the system vents it away and disperses it outside keeps you safe. Any sort of flue, chimney, or other vent will need to be free and clear of obstructions. We take the time to inspect this particular issue. Our team will also check your home’s CO detectors as safety is essential here.
Address Minor Repairs
One of the best aspects of scheduling preventative maintenance is that we can find and fix small issues. If something with your heating unit needs repairing, we can do it quickly. This prevents the issue from turning into a huge problem. With a process like ours, we look into every single nook and cranny of the system. This means that even the smallest issue does not escape us. Our technicians will fix even something suspicious that may turn into an issue.
What Happens If You Skip Tune-Ups
Skipping your annual heating tune-up creates several risks for your home and budget. Systems that lack maintenance are prone to sudden failure. Without routine maintenance, you may never know if any small issues exist. You think your heater is fine, maybe just a little dusty. The next thing you know, you experience a total breakdown. Unfortunately, there’s no guarantee we can repair the resulting issue. It could be the case that you will have to replace your unit. This is why it’s vital to keep up with routine maintenance.
Also, you don’t want your heater running under stress. Dirty heaters work harder, which ultimately creates problems. There are also safety concerns at play with neglected heaters. Blocked vents or cracked heat exchangers can lead to harmful CO leaks. Your heater will generally still run with these issues, so it takes an inspection to catch the problem. Neglecting routine maintenance is very risky and can lead to big problems.
- Frequent and costly breakdowns
- Very high energy bills
- Increased risk of fire or gas leaks
- Shortened system lifespan
- Poor temperature regulation
- Total system failure
DIY Heating Maintenance
We recommend that you call us for maintenance services. However, there are some DIY heating maintenance tasks you can complete on your own. These are typically light and easy tasks that don’t require special tools or mechanical knowledge. You should incorporate these tasks into your routine. Performing this DIY heating maintenance in between professional tune-ups is beneficial for your heating unit. Just be cautious. If you notice anything wrong, contact us immediately. We don’t recommend trying to handle any repairs yourself.
- Replacing air filters regularly
- Clearing debris from around the unit
- Checking thermostat batteries
- Opening all air registers
- Monitoring for unusual smells
- Keeping vents clear of obstructions
Book a Heating Tune-Up with Comfort First Heating & Cooling
Comfort First Heating and Cooling is the leading area HVAC contractor for all your comfort needs. We are a family-owned and -operated business with many years of professional service. Our certified technicians can handle maintenance tune-ups, repairs, and complete system replacements. We also deal with indoor air quality and humidification issues. Our company offers 24/7 emergency repairs to our service area. You can also take advantage of a maintenance plan, simplifying the process of routine maintenance.
When you need maintenance services in Joliet, contact Comfort First Heating and Cooling today to schedule your service.
