Every home heating system accumulates dust, dirt, and other particles that affect its performance and efficiency. This can cause your utility bills to soar. A professional furnace or boiler tune-up eliminates the grime and ensures that all components are in good working order so when it’s time to turn up the thermostat on the first chilly morning of fall you have heat. At Lake Michigan Heating, Cooling, Plumbing our Grand Rapids heating specialists offer a number of preventative maintenance packages so you can avoid more costly repairs down the line.
THE MAIN BENEFITS OF A PROFESSIONAL BOILER/FURNACE TUNE-UP
Regardless of the maintenance package you sign up for, getting routine maintenance provides you with multiple benefits, including:
- It ensures that your system is working safely, reducing the chance of carbon monoxide leaks and other health hazards
- It improves your system’s efficiency, which means better heating performance and lower heating costs
- It reduces the risk of a system failure and you definitely don’t want to be without heat when the Grand Rapids winters reach subzero temperatures
- It minimizes the possibility of needing major repairs—emergency service always costs more than preventative maintenance
WHAT DOES A PROFESSIONAL FURNACE/BOILER TUNE-UP INCLUDE?
A professional tune-up for your furnace or boiler includes multiple steps and actions that are best left to a trained technician. Because a professional heating technician regularly performs tune-ups, he or she understands and practices safety protocols and has the knowledge and ability to recognize problems before they cause a system failure.
At Lake Michigan Heating, Cooling, Plumbing, we complete the following tasks during boiler or furnace tune-ups:
- Clean the unit of dirt, dust, and grime that affects performance
- Check the thermostat settings to ensure they are both energy-efficient and comfortable for your home
- Reset the system’s specifications, as needed, according to the manufacturer’s recommendations
- Check all safety components, including the limit controls
- Check all electrical connections, motors, and controls for safety and proper function
- Inspect the oil connections as well as the pressure and burner combustion
- Check vents, drafts, and flues for leaks (any ductwork leak can affect your heating efficiency, creating a loss of about 20% or more)
- Perform safety inspections of the heat exchanger (the heat exchanger needs to be professionally inspected to ensure its physical integrity is not compromised, which can cause carbon monoxide to leak into the home)
- Check the hydronic system for leaks (a small water leak may go unnoticed for a while, but will eventually cause a loss of pressure in the system, affecting efficiency)
- Test for airflow (restricted airflow affects efficiency and can lead to increased energy costs)
- Check the condensate drain (if the system also includes central air or features a condensing heat system)
Comprehensive tune-ups and inspections are essential regardless of the age of your heating system. It’s important that you keep all records because these are important if you ever have to file a warranty claim with the manufacturer.
To schedule professional tune-up for your boiler or furnace, call (616)-540-7918 or contact us online. We are happy to answer any questions you may have or provide you with additional information.
