Fall Checklist: Why You Need to Schedule Your Furnace Maintenance Now

Fall is the time for pumpkin spice, gathering around a fire pit, and watching lots of football. The slow drop in temperature is a signal of the approach of the holiday season and, whether ready or not, for the heating season. Expect a period in which the air conditioner and furnace will be needed on the same day before giving way to the heating season.

While our winters are relatively mild locally, our homes need heat to keep us comfortable, healthy, and safe. Our residential furnaces also need regular furnace maintenance and care to continue to function properly. Furnace maintenance ensures that:

• Hardworking components are inspected and tested to avoid emergency repairs during very inconvenient cold spells.
• The entire system is tested for efficient function, saving energy and money.
• The homeowner can rest assured that they have done everything possible to keep the family safe during cold winter nights.

Beyond the Filter: What a Professional Furnace Maintenance Checkup Includes

There are a few furnace maintenance tasks a homeowner can attend to, with very little training or preparation. They include:

• Changing the air filter regularly. The air filter is usually located near the bottom of the air handler cabinet, at the point where air is drawn from the home into the cabinet. The filter is usually made of cardboard, with paper or synthetic fibers, approximately two feet square. Filters are very efficient at cleaning the air, so they will need to be changed at least every three months. Just slide the old filter out and slide the new filter in.
• Homeowners should make frequent checks of the vents, both supply and return vents, removing anything that might obstruct airflow. It is not uncommon for furniture, drapes, or clutter to cover vents, so uncover them as often as possible.
• Schedule professional preventative furnace maintenance, since a trained technician can clean, test, and inspect the system properly.

Fall is an excellent time to schedule furnace maintenance, before the heating season begins in earnest. However, if it has been an extended period since your furnace has been serviced, now is always the best time.

Your Guide to Simple Furnace Maintenance For Every Heating System

Natural gas furnaces need special care to ensure safe and efficient function. The older system used a pilot light to ignite the gas in the burner assembly. New systems have electronic ignition, and this component is susceptible to soot buildup, which prevents ignition. The burner assembly chamber is surrounded by a heat exchanger, which separates the exhaust from fresh air. It is extremely important to ensure that the heat exchanger remains intact, with no corrosion from rust.

Heat pump systems use the same components and processes as the air conditioning system, putting the entire system into reverse mode. Furnace maintenance includes cleaning the coils, both condenser and evaporator coils, and testing the refrigerant level. Since the refrigerant is kept under pressure, a leak will not stop until it all leaks into the atmosphere. If the refrigerant is lost, not only will the system fail to heat, but it can also cause expensive component failures.

Electric furnaces produce heat using a heating element and resistance, similar to electric ranges. Heat pumps will have a heating element as a backup for times when the outside temperature drops below 350°F.

All furnace types use similar electronic controls and a blower system to move air throughout the home. This is a complex system of controls, with a sensor that measures temperature in various spaces, inside the home, and inside the furnace components. This determines the length of each cooling cycle, keeping the occupants comfortable and the system functioning safely.

Act Now: Schedule Your Fall Furnace Maintenance with AirPro Houston

Don’t let a sudden cold snap catch you off guard with an inefficient or broken system—now is the ideal time to ensure your family’s safety and comfort. Scheduling your professional furnace maintenance guarantees your unit is operating efficiently, saving you money and preventing expensive emergency repairs later. Call AirPro Houston today to book your fall tune-up and start the heating season with confidence!

For professional furnace maintenance and repairs you can trust, contact AirPro Houston. We have several financing options available with great options. Up to 72-month terms with approved credit. Call us today at 281-880-8805 and let us partner with you for all of your Cypress Furnace maintenance needs.