An annual furnace inspection should be conducted by a qualified technician every year before winter hits Southwest Illinois. The manufacturer’s warranty may require an annual tune-up for safety and to prevent unnecessary heat loss as part of the unit’s guarantee.
A qualified heating technician can help homeowners in Alton, Troy and other neighboring communities with inspection and maintenance, fixing small problems before they become major.
Checklist items
- Combustion gasses must be checked to the furnace specifications. Gas and oil furnaces can be fire hazards if they leak and do not operate properly.
- Vents and fresh air intake grilles must be checked for harmful leaks and blockage that can prevent proper air circulation.
- The heat exchanger must be checked for corrosion and rust along with the wiring.
- A new air filter should be placed in the unit.
- Burners must be checked to make sure they work properly when ignited.
- All hoses, belts and the drainage system should be securely connected and operable.
- Cracked belts and hoses should be replaced.
- The blower wheel should be cleaned if there is debris.
- The access door to the blower must be tightly sealed.
- Pressure checks for gas, static air and temperature rise are part of the inspection.
The heating technician also will check all control systems on the furnace, tighten electrical connections, and oil any moving parts. Thermostat connections and calibrations must be checked and adjusted for a comfortable indoor environment.
A complete, comprehensive furnace inspection will ensure there’s no potential for carbon monoxide leaks. Every home should also have at least one carbon monoxide detector on every level, along with smoke alarms.
Furnaces and boilers have an AFUE (annual fuel utilization efficiency) rating based on the unit’s ability to convert energy to heat. The rating usually appears on the side of new heating systems so consumers can make comparisons. A furnace inspection should keep heaters working at their rated AFUE.
Contact Ernst Heating and Cooling, serving communities in Southwest Illinois since 1951, for a complete inspection and maintenance of your heating system for winter comfort.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Hamel, Alton, Glen Carbon, Highland, Greenville, and Troy, Illinois and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).Â