Maintenance can sometimes seem unnecessary but the truth is it often ends up saving homeowners a pretty penny. What could become an expensive repair or even escalate to a full system replacement can normally be caught with a yearly maintenance check.
This is why we encourage everyone to schedule a heater maintenance check in the months when the weather hasn’t hit it coldest temperatures. Scheduling a heating system check up during fall is best simply because you won’t have to freeze when the heater is off during the check-up.
If you haven’t scheduled a maintenance check for your heater yet, and you still aren’t sure if it is worth it, let us explain why you can (and should) opt in for this annual service.
You’ve been hearing strange noises for a while now and you did your best to brush it off as a normal part of your heater’s operation. However, now you are starting to notice that when you turn this same system on, it isn’t doing its job well. If it turns on at all, there is only about a 50% chance that you get air that is warm.
Our state isn’t exactly know for having fall or winter seasons with record-setting cold temperatures. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t get pretty darn cold. And when the temperatures do drop, the most important thing to have in your home is a working heater.
One thing that we talk about a lot is heating efficiency and why it matters. The more efficient your heater is the less energy it wastes. So, when your heater holds an efficiency rating, or AFUE, or 95%, it means that 95% of the energy being used becomes heat for your home. This is super important, as an inefficient heater can lead to costly repairs and sky-high utility bills.
Imagine we still carried brick-sized cell phones, stored our photos on a floppy disk, or watched our favorite movies on a VCR? These outdated technologies have become obsolete for a reason: they’ve been replaced by newer, more functional and effective devices. This same principle applies to all of the systems in your home, such as your air conditioner, heater, and yes, your thermostat.
If you are looking to save some money during the holiday season, consider a furnace tune-up! That’s right, taking the time to ensure that your furnace is running as efficiently as possible will decrease the amount of money you spend on heating costs, giving you more money to spend on gifts for friends and family (or to keep for yourself!). Either way, an efficient furnace means more money in your pocket.
There is never a good time to discover that you need to replace your heater. Even we will admit that it is not the most exciting way in which to spend your hard-earned money. Plus, because it is so hot around here for so much of the year, needing to make the investment can sting a little extra. That being said, you will need to replace your heater eventually. Even if our winters are mild compared to those in the Northeast or the Midwest, they do take their toll.
It just might be. Is that not the answer that you were hoping for? We understand that homeowners today have a lot on their plates and, with so many different technologies at their disposal, sometimes they just want a straight answer. That being said, there is no way for certain to say that 
Whether you are looking forward to cooler temperatures or you dread having to turn your heater on when winter arrives, the fact remains that cooler weather is headed our way. If you are serious about living comfortably in your home throughout the winter season, you need to have a great heating system in place. Just investing in a great heater, unfortunately, is not necessarily going to be enough to ensure that this is the case. Heating maintenance is also required.
