Love Your Furnace: the Importance of Furnace Maintenance

February 14, 2018

There are many reasons why it is so important to maintain your heating and cooling equipment. Though it is entirely up to the homeowner, Brennan Heating & Air Conditioning (as well as most manufacturer’s) recommends you get a home furnace maintenance once a year. That recommendation could actually save a life. Your furnace’s life. So, pamper it a bit this Valentine’s Day and show it some love.

Below are just a few of the many reasons why annual furnace maintenance is so important, as well as, some furnace maintenance tips to keep your furnace (and family) healthy and happy for years to come.

It keeps your furnace running smoothly: Think of this as the oil in your car. You couldn’t drive your car 25,000 miles without changing the oil. Right? Right. The same logic holds true for your home heating and cooling system. Want your furnace to run like new for years to come? We’ll preach this ‘til the cows come home. Or until you call us for that maintenance!

It improves efficiency: How, you ask? Well our superior technicians check all the parts during the maintenance to ensure the equipment won’t break down when you need the unit most – like winter. We test all the components to minimize those breakdowns, which will allow us to get an estimate life span of each part. Not maintaining your furnace regularly can – you guessed it – reduce the life of your equipment. And it also can increase your heating costs. No one likes large heating bills.

It protects the health of you and your family: And actually, we’re going to get real with you for a second. It can actually save your life. As far as your health goes? A well-maintained system keeps the air clean, and a dirty filter can cause respiratory problems and disease. As far as your life goes? Two words: Carbon monoxide. When the furnace is working as it should, carbon monoxide is channeled through this exhaust pipe straight out of your house. However, leaks can happen. They’re dangerous and can be deadly.

It keeps the furnace working reliably: A yearly furnace inspection and service allows Brennan’s professional and industry-trained technicians to spot problems (big or small) that may otherwise be left unresolved. While there’s no guarantee that your furnace will work reliably after a service, it can stop problems from becoming worse. Like getting your boxers stuck in the furnace (see left). That’s a problem.

So, there you have it. A little guide to why it’s so important to love on that furnace of yours! And we have good news. Brennan Heating and Air Conditioning does all of the above, and then some. A 20-point inspection to be exact. Here’s a list of some of the services we offer.

Now, we know you might be wondering why you’d hire someone to inspect your furnace, when you can easily do it yourself. We’ve listed a few major reasons why it’s not a good idea to do these maintenance’s and repairs yourself.

The Dangers of DIY Furnace Maintenance

DIY furnace maintenance should be called do-not-do-it-yourself furnace maintenance. When something goes wrong with your furnace, we know it’s tempting to want to fix it yourself. But we highly recommend you don’t attempt troubleshooting. It’s best to leave it to the pros when it comes to your HVAC equipment. Below is a list of all the reasons why it’s dangerous to try to repair your equipment yourself:

Fire

No matter what equipment you have, it can cause a fire if something goes wrong. If your furnace has faulty wiring, for example, it can cause a fire. Brennan Electric, a sub-division of Brennan Heating & Air Conditioning, can provide you with an annual electrical safety inspection to prevent this from happening to you. Call us, then call Brennan Electric. Hit two birds with one stone!

And whatever you do, do not mess with any electrical wiring or gas lines. According to an article on Angie’s List, this is what you should do if you smell gas in your home:

1. Turn off your stove and gas line

2. Open all doors and windows

3. Evacuate the premises and call 911

The fire department of your gas company will have to inspect the home, before it’s safe to re-enter

Refrigerant Leaks

Other leaks, like refrigerant leaks, can cause health issues. It’s important you have these leaks checked out by a trained professional. These leaks are dangerous and can cause respiratory problems, dizziness and asphyxia.

When dealing with issues regarding your furnace or other HVAC equipment, it’s best to leave it to the professionals. Us. Over here! This will help you prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, fire, gas leaks, and refrigerant leaks. By getting an annual maintenance, and an annual electrical inspection, you avoid these major repairs down the road.

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

The only way to detect this is by a carbon monoxide detector. Otherwise, it’s almost impossible to tell because carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless gas that can cause serious health issues, and sometimes even death. It’s possible that if you’re having furnace issues, that it’s leaking carbon monoxide into your house. This is something our service technicians will be able to detect during the diagnostic and one of the big reasons why you should not attempt to repair it yourself. Ever. Just don’t do it OK?

Choose Brennan Heating & Air Conditioning

Since 1987, Brennan Heating & Air Conditioning has served tens of thousands of happy customers in the Puget Sound region. All of our service technicians are factory-trained and certified which is just one of many reasons why you should choose Brennan. We offer general maintenance’s for air conditioners, furnaces, heat pumps, boilers, tankless water heaters, and other products. Brennan is an award-winning Seattle heating and air conditioning contractor. Contact us today!

Brennan Heating & Cooling icon
Categories: