Your Fall Furnace Inspection Is Due: Know What's Coming

Autumn’s cool air is a relief after the summer. It’s hard to remember your fall furnace inspection when winter seems far away. There always seem like better ways to spend money, but it’s important to take care of pre-season HVAC maintenance before it gets cold. Nobody wants a furnace breakdown during a cold snap.

Each HVAC company will offer a different tune-up package, so always ask which services are part of the package. When you interview the contractors, your questions should be answered fully and respectfully. Every fall furnace inspection should include these basic steps, though you may be offered additional services.

• The furnace should be thoroughly examined by an experienced technician. All moving parts should be inspected to make sure they are moving smoothly, then cleaned and lubricated to prevent friction, as this will wear out furnace parts more quickly.

• The whole system needs to be checked for worn or broken parts. Metal should be checked for corrosion, and fraying and electrical connections need to be tightened. Any belts need to be looked at for cracks.

• Contractors will check to make sure air is flowing freely throughout the system so that the furnace can heat the home effectively. Air filters will be changed out for new, clean ones so that indoor air quality is not compromised.

• Any parts of the furnace with adjustable settings or controls need to be evaluated. The thermostat requires annual calibration to keep your home comfortable. In addition to keeping the house at the desired temperature, a correctly set thermostat will help prevent furnace damage or house fires.

• Flue obstructions, improper venting, damage to the heat exchanger, or gas lines with leaks can be deadly. The contractor will check for any toxic chemicals or dangerous emissions.

Spending a few hours for a fall furnace inspection will pay off with lower bills and a safer home. To learn more about how annual tune-ups will help you, please contact us at Paschal Heat, Air & Geothermal. We’ve been serving northwest Arkansas for 45 years. We specialize in quick service and are available seven days a week, 24 hours per day.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Springdale, Arkansas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about furnace inspections and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Image courtesy of Shutterstock