Is It Too Soon to Schedule Annual Heating Maintenance?

Annual heating maintenance is generally recommended in the fall, or at least before the cold weather starts. However, it’s never too soon to have your furnace checked. Routine service can prevent many problems, including a furnace that suddenly stops working on one of the coldest days of the year. Most emergency calls received due to no heat can be prevented with furnace maintenance.

Is Fall the Best Time for Furnace Maintenance?

The arrival of cold weather can be unpredictable. Therefore, the sooner you schedule annual heating maintenance, the better. Contractors are busy with maintenance calls during the fall months. If you prefer more flexible scheduling, you can beat the crowds and set up a maintenance date in late summer. On the other hand, waiting until winter risks dealing with furnace problems and delays because HVAC contractors get the most emergency calls at times of peak demand.

Join Your Local HVAC Contractor’s Maintenance Plan

When you sign up for a maintenance agreement, you don’t have to wonder whether it’s too soon to schedule an appointment. You’ll receive friendly reminders to schedule routine visits. Maintenance is a small investment compared to how costly repairs can be. These are often preventable, especially considering a lot of major issues result from unaddressed strain and wear and tear.

It’s Never Too Late to Schedule Annual Heating Maintenance

If you haven’t scheduled a furnace inspection and tune-up yet, it’s not too late, especially if it’s working fine. But your furnace should be cleaned and serviced every year. Neglecting to schedule this all-important maintenance call can result in:

• Your Furnace Not Working: Heater breakdowns occur at the worst times. If the unit isn’t maintained, it can overheat or a component can break when the system is most strained. Your household will be left without heat, which can be dangerous on an unusually cold day.

• Health Hazards: Whether the furnace breaks down or not, any heating issue can lead to a carbon monoxide leak. This odorless, colorless gas is a byproduct of the combustion process. It’s normally vented out of your home, but exposure can lead to headache, dizziness, nausea, and a range of other symptoms; high concentrations can be deadly.
  We strongly recommend installing carbon monoxide detectors near every bedroom and on every floor of your home. They can alert you of a problem before you know your furnace needs to be repaired.

• Safety Issues: A loose connection or cracked heat exchanger can not only release vapors and fumes. An issue can lead to poor indoor air quality, condensation buildup, fire, or an explosion. Your safety is another reason to schedule annual heating maintenance.

• Reduced Comfort: Your furnace may work for a while without maintenance. However, it eventually won’t provide enough warmth for your entire home. Temperatures can also start to vary from one room to another. The system may not reach the right temperature at all.

• Decreased Energy Efficiency: As parts of your furnace wear out, the system works harder to provide heat and will consume more energy. Annual maintenance includes replacing clogged filters, cleaning system components, and tightening loose parts to reduce energy consumption.

Annual maintenance can result in fewer furnace repairs. Most heating issues start small. Fixing them early can prevent serious problems that require expensive repairs or premature furnace replacement. Well-maintained units tend to last longer and work more effectively throughout their lifespan.

Signs You Should Schedule Maintenance Sooner

Don’t hesitate to schedule an earlier annual heating maintenance visit if you notice symptoms such as:

• Increased Energy Bills: Seasonal spikes in energy bills aren’t uncommon. But if the increase is unusually high and unexplainable, an inspection and tune-up can help your furnace run more efficiently.

• Poor Airflow: Schedule maintenance if little air is blowing from the vents. A clogged filter or malfunctioning fan can lead to major problems, but the issue itself is not hard for a professional to fix.

• Loud Noises: Call a technician if your furnace starts making loud banging, screeching, rattling, thumping, whistling, hissing, or other sounds. Your safety and the integrity of your heating system are at risk.

Call for help if your furnace shows any of these signs or has a history of recurring problems. Your contractor can tell if it needs additional repairs or should be replaced.

Call Jay’s Heating, Air & Plumbing

When it’s time to schedule annual heating maintenance, we take the stress out of the process. Our NATE-certified technicians can service any make or model of heater. They check system performance against the thermostat settings, lubricate moving parts, test system voltage, and inspect electrical connections. Furnace maintenance can help you save money on repairs. Our team offers flexible appointment availability, helps maintain the terms of your warranty, and ensures your furnace runs smoothly, safely, and efficiently.
To schedule furnace maintenance in and around Mount Airy, NC, set up your appointment online or call 336-967-9945.