The typical furnace in Idaho has a lifespan of 10 to 15 years and replacing one can be costly. While this may seem like a long time, annual maintenance and paying for minor repairs can increase furnace life to as much as 20 years! Like many other machines, or even your body, avoiding those annual checkups and tune ups could end up being more costly in the long run.
Yearly maintenance can extend the life of your furnace and help you reduce the chances of needing a total furnace replacement. Nobody likes to be caught without a working furnace, especially in the prolonged winter months that Southeast Idaho experiences. DR Heating and Plumbing has been servicing furnaces all around the Idaho Falls area and can help extend the life of your furnace as well!
Signs Your Furnace Needs Repair
One of the first indications that your furnace may be in need of repair is if it cannot maintain a certain temperature in your house. Other signs could include:
- The furnace cycling on and off
- A yellow pilot light as opposed to a clean, blue light
- Moisture buildup due to lack of airflow
- Seeing a spike in your utility bills
- Water leaks around the furnace
- Creaks or pops coming from your furnace
A Big Factor That Reduces Furnace Life Expectancy
The lack of routine maintenance is a big factor that can reduce the furnace life expectancy. Dirt buildup on your furnace can cause it to work harder than necessary. Dirt and other forms of buildup on the fan blades, burners, and heat exchangers will reduce efficiency. Imbalanced fans can impact the motors and dirty filters can restrict the airflow the system will have to work harder to compensate. Your furnace may also have to work harder if the heat exchangers have buildup which causes them to have a less effective heat transfer. Routine maintenance can extend the life of your furnace and fix any potential issues before they get bigger.
Furnace Repair and Maintenance Services
When you first start to sense issues with your furnace – you will want to call the professionals. The exact cause of these issues may be unknown, but skilled technicians will assist in troubleshooting the issue to find out the cause of the problem and work towards finding a solution. Keeping your heating systems in working order can involve many different services, such as:
- Inspecting Internal Components – Looking over each important component of a furnace to ensure it is clean and working properly is essential in maintaining a furnace. Internal parts like the burners, heat exchanger, and blower motor will be inspected and confirmed that they are in good working order.
- Checking the Electrical Connections – Loose or faulty connections will disrupt a furnaces ability to work as intended. Technicians will be able to make sure there are no loose connections or wires and check that each electrical component is working.
- Confirming Complete Furnace Operation – The safety devices and controls will be verified and confirmed that they are in effective working order and that there are not any issues impacting the furnace’s ability to operate safely and efficiently.
Benefits of Regular Furnace Service
Having your furnace inspected and serviced regularly can provide you and your residence with many safety benefits and help to keep your furnace running smoothly. Staying on top of the maintenance for your furnace can help ensure that it doesn’t go out in the times that you really need it to be running.
Decreases the Chance of Malfunction
With having your furnace regularly serviced, you could prevent potential issues that could cause it to quit out of nowhere. It can be extremely inconvenient to have your furnace quit on you in the middle of a long Idaho winter. There is a chance that your pipe will freeze and burst, which could result in even more costly damage. A professional will be able to check out your system and ensure that everything is in good working order and running as it should. Taking the time to get it checked out can help you save money later by getting the smaller, and less costly, problems fixed now.
Helps Keep Your Home Safe
Along with the possibilities of malfunctioning, safety is another huge reason you should invest in regular maintenance and servicing for your furnace. If your furnace uses natural gas, there is a chance that the heat exchanger could break and release carbon monoxide into your house. Carbon monoxide can be very dangerous when breathed in and definitely threaten the safety of your home. A technician will be able to inspect all of these parts and replace them as necessary to help avoid this dangerous situation. Faulty burners and valves can be potential fire risks and regular maintenance will help to minimize the fire safety risks in your home.
Increases Your Furnaces’ Efficiency
Tune-ups of your furnace will help keep it free of dirt and debris and help maximize your furnaces efficiency during the winter months when it is used the most. When a technician is able to take a closer look at the furnace, they can also help you decide when you will be in need of a new furnace as well.
About DR Heating and Plumbing
With over 40 years of experience in the East Idaho area, DR Heating and Plumbing knows how to efficiently repair any issues you may be having with your furnace and be able to provide regular furnace maintenance. We want to make sure that the furnace keeps running throughout the long winters and make sure that you are comfortable and safe in your home. Our team is skilled at installing, maintaining and repairing furnaces as well as servicing other parts of your HVAC systems while providing excellent customer service and professionalism. A furnace inspection is one of the best ways to keep your home comfortable and heat efficient and our team understands how important a reliable working furnace is. Contact us today to schedule an appointment!