Do you find yourself when you should call a professional for a furnace tune up? If you aren’t asking that question, you really should be. Typically, it is important to have your furnace looked at one time a year. However, the next time you have your unit looked at, you can ask the HVAC tech if your a tune up is needed. If your furnace is newer, you keep your home clean with no pets, or if you rarely use your unit to heat or cool your home, it may be fine to go a few years between tune ups for your furnace.
What happens during a furnace tune up?
-The ignitor and flame sensor are checked for wear.
-Condensate lines are checked and cleared. The lines drain water created by gas combustion and any condensation that may collect on the A/C coil.
-The heat exchanger and other components such as the blower motor, fan, jets, burners, combustion chamber, and other components are cleaned.
-A temperature differential test is performed, which consists of measuring air temperature that goes into and leaves the furnace.
-A combustion analysis is performed of the exhaust to check levles of C/O, O2, and C/O2.
How much can you expect it to cost to tune up your furnace?
A reputable HVAC company will charge somewhere between $90 to $150 to perform a tune up on your furnace. It is a good idea to stay away from service “specials” that seem cheap because they usually lead to the technician finding repairs that are unneeded or they want to add upgrades.
Use your time wisely
When you do have your furnace tuned up, you can ask the technician for advice for the proper filter for your unit. The best one for you may depend on your specific furnace, your lifestyle, any health issues, and other filters. For instance, you may be using a filter that is too porous to allow the air that is coming into your home to be properly filtered.
Another thing you can discuss with the technician is having a smart home thermostat installed. If you already have one, the technician may be able to install it while they are at your home. This means you can avoid another service call. However, it is necessary to tell the person you speak to when you set up the appointment for the tune up that you would also like to have a thermostat installed.