As the cooler weather moves in, chances are you’ll be firing up your furnace for the first time in a year or so. Before you begin running the heat, schedule a tune-up for your heating system to ensure that everything’s in working order. After all, the first cold snap of the year is no time to find out that your system is in trouble.
If you’re on the fence about booking a tune-up, remember that regularly maintaining system can save you money on your utilities bill, extend the life of your system, and catch any small issues before they turn into bigger ones. Skipping regular maintenance doesn’t save you money. It just kicks the can down the road.
Here’s what you can do to keep your heating system healthy.
DIY Maintenance to Extend the Life of your System
While most of us aren’t mechanics, we can all do basic car maintenance like adding air to our tires. The HVAC equivalent of this replacing air filters and keeping your system free of dirt and debris. These may seem like small steps, but they can have a big impact on the function of your system. Try to change out your filters every 30-90 days – more if you have pets or deal with large amounts of dust – and regularly wipe down outdoor units to prevent debris build-up.
While you’re doing this, monitor your system for any potential issues. While a professional is best-placed to identify and diagnose problems, you’ll likely know if your system is underperforming. Listen for unusual noises, particularly if your system is older. If anything seems awry or unusual, call an HVAC professional immediately.
Professional Maintenance to Save on Repairs & Replacements
DIY maintenance is a good start, but to keep your system running in top shape, an annual tune-up from a professional is a must. HVAC professionals can isolate and fix issues before they become a bigger problem, update aging parts, and make recommendations about system replacements or upgrades if needed. Enlisting the services of a professional early on can result in significant savings: it’s much more cost-effective to prevent a major failure than repair one.
Remember that most HVAC systems require annual professional maintenance in order to maintain their warranties, so that fall tune-up can be a money saver in more ways than one. Additionally, booking your appointment for fall rather than winter ensures that you’ll be able to deal with any issues before the cold weather truly hits, reducing the risk of system failures and ensuring that you can claim a space on your HVAC professional’s calendar. Don’t wait for the coldest day in winter to take action – because everyone else is as well.
To make it easy to keep your system running smoothly all year long at Shaw, we’ve set up a maintenance program for our customers. Learn more about our Maintenance program here or use the form below to start today.