Here’s an interesting fact: Not a single one of your ancestors ever froze to death (before having kids, at least). That’s because they all knew how to prepare their homes for the winter, which mostly boiled down to spending the entire preceding season stacking firewood.
Modern HVAC technology has made winter preparation a little less intuitive. How do you get the big heat-producing appliance in your basement ready for the challenge ahead? Simple! Just contact PrairieSons today for seasonal HVAC maintenance by a seasoned HVAC technician!
Every Furnace Needs Fall Maintenance
It doesn’t matter if it was installed last year or sometime during the Great Depression. If it produces heat, then it just can’t do without annual maintenance. You can only rest assured a furnace is winter-ready once a Sioux Falls HVAC tech has done all the following:
- Inspect the vents, flue and air intake grill for leaks and blockages
- Ensure the blower access door seals tight
- Clean the blower, its wheel and its motor
- Test the blower motor to ensure it is not at risk of self-combustion
- Test the furnace’s safety controls
- Ensure the heat exchanger is free of cracks and other signs of damage
- Lubricate all moving parts within the blower motor
- Ensure the burner ignites correctly
- Inspect all electrical connections for signs of rust, corrosion and detachment
- Calibrate the thermostat
- Inspect the belts for cracks and fraying
- Check the air filters and replacing them as needed
- Test the furnace’s startup cycle
What a coincidence! PrairieSons just so happens to do all of those things during each routine fall furnace tune-up. But why do we go through all that trouble on our client’s behalf? In other words…
What Are the Benefits of Fall HVAC Maintenance?
By requesting fall HVAC maintenance, you are doing far more than supporting a great local HVAC business. You’re saving money. You’re breathing easier. You’re reducing your risk of a house fire, too!
- Fall HVAC maintenance reduces energy bills. Much of fall furnace maintenance boils down to cleaning the system, lubricating its moving parts, and determining whether any parts are no longer functioning correctly. All of these steps help the furnace achieve its desired result at the cost of less energy, which equates to serious savings on your household expenses.
- Fall HVAC maintenance reduces repair bills, too. The ultimate goal of furnace maintenance is to appreciably extend the effective lifespan of the unit. When a furnace is maintained annually, it is at significantly lower risk of needing repairs. It’s also going to last longer, which can help you pay for fewer replacement furnaces over the course of your lifetime.
- Fall HVAC maintenance improves indoor air quality. You don’t need an HVAC tech to perform the most fundamental act of furnace maintenance. All you have to do is replace its filter every so many months, and bingo: cleaner air. Professional HVAC maintenance can improve the reliability of your blower motor, however, which is essential if you rely on it to circulate and freshen the air inside your home during winter.
- Fall HVAC maintenance breeds peace of mind. There are three things you really don’t want your furnace to do this winter. In no particular order, these are: stop working, start a fire, or produce carbon monoxide gas. Fall maintenance can’t totally eliminate these risks – but it does greatly reduce the chance of them happening.
Winter Prep Goes Beyond the Furnace
Your furnace isn’t keeping your house toasty all on its own. Don’t forget to replace the batteries in your thermostat before winter arrives. Doing so could spell the difference between waking up to frozen or unfrozen plumbing. And if you’re keen on saving more money and enjoying greater comfort than ever before, then upgrading to a smart thermostat is a worthwhile investment.
Why not make your furnace’s job even easier while you’re at it? Secure your home’s building envelope by inspecting its interior for gaps, cracks, and other openings that could allow warm air to escape (pay special attention to areas around door and window frames). Seal them up with calk, place draft stoppers around the bases of windows and doors, and presto: a more energy-efficient home!
Call PrairieSons for HVAC Maintenance
Want to get your furnace shipshape before the winter starts doing its worst? If you live in the greater Sioux Falls, SD area, then your local HVAC solution is at your service. Reach out to PrairieSons this autumn for expert HVAC maintenance!