The furnace is a vital component of the home, but people don’t give it much thought until it breaks down or doesn’t work correctly. Furnace problems may include blowing cold air, making loud sounds, emitting strange smells or increasing your energy bills. Here are five of the most important facts you should know about your furnace.
1. It Needs Annual Preventative Maintenance
A furnace can only go a year without professional maintenance before it’s at a higher risk of inefficiency, poor filtration of air and other problems. You should schedule maintenance every autumn, which is the peak time for tuning. We can clean out all of the dust that collected over the warm months to ensure you have a furnace in top condition for the cold season.
2. It Needs to Be Vacuumed
One of the two primary maintenance tasks you can perform is vacuuming the appliance and vents every month. This improves the safety of your furnace. The other maintenance chore homeowners are responsible for is changing the air filter monthly. Dust is a fire hazard, which is why you don’t want to let it build up.
3. The Appliance Needs to Be Replaced After 15 to 25 Years
Oil furnaces are designed to last 15 to 20 years. Electric furnaces last the longest at up to 20 to 30 years, but they aren’t a recommended choice in cold climates like Illinois. Gas furnaces may only last 10 to 15 years, but they heat your home more effectively and at a lower cost than electric furnaces. These are just estimated numbers. Check with the manufacturer of a specific model to ascertain its expected lifespan.
4. Incorrect Installation Causes Problems
Hire a heating installation company with a good reputation to ensure your new furnace is installed correctly. In Westchester, IL, Pro Temp of Illinois has an A+ rating with the BBB and factory authorization from Lennox. This shows we’re a company you can trust with the important task of installing a furnace. If a furnace isn’t installed correctly, it can cause problems with short cycling and inefficiency.
5. Furnaces Are Regulated at the Federal and State Levels
A poorly made furnace would be dangerous to use, so both the federal and state governments regulate them. Furnace regulations can even be found at the city level. As long as you choose a heating installation company that is certified in your state and has a good reputation, you don’t need to worry.
Pro Temp of Illinois is a Lennox Premier Dealer serving La Grange and the surrounding areas. We offer installation, maintenance and repair of heating and cooling systems, and we also provide duct cleaning and HVAC design. Contact us for more information on how to maintain your heating and cooling systems so they last a long time without giving you problems, and let us know right away if they do.