Now is the time of year to schedule a furnace inspection to make sure your furnace keeps your home comfortable during these winter months. During a furnace inspection, an HVAC technician performs numerous essential tasks that ensure a furnace stays in good shape over time.
If you wonder whether a furnace inspection is worth the trouble, you should know about all the important tasks your HVAC technician performs during an inspection. The following are seven things typically included in a furnace inspection that are important for your furnace before the coldest weather arrives in the Los Angeles area.
1. Filter and Airflow Check
Changing a furnace air filter when necessary is one of the most basic and important maintenance tasks to perform.
The air filter is important for removing impurities from conditioned air before it is channeled throughout your home. However, over time the air filter accumulates debris so that it blocks airflow and doesn’t function as effectively at removing impurities from the air.
During an inspection, our HVAC technicians will replace the air filter and make sure that air flows through the furnace and duct system efficiently.
2. Routine Repairs
During an inspection, the HVAC technician looks out for routine repair needs. Technicians verify that the blower motor is functioning properly and see if parts like wiring, motor capacitors, or heat exchangers require replacement.
Finding what repairs may be needed before the cold season fully arrives ensures that the furnace reliably heats your home throughout the winter.
3. Verification of Thermostat Functioning
The thermostat is essential for controlling the amount of heat the furnace puts out. If the thermostat malfunctions, a homeowner cannot set the furnace to a specific temperature and therefore struggles to keep interiors at a comfortable temperature.
During an inspection, HVAC technicians make sure that your thermostat is accurate and will replace the thermostat if necessary, to maintain control over the furnace.
4. Efficiency Check
A furnace that’s not functioning efficiently costs more than it should. You don’t want your utility bills to get out of control during these winter months when you’re relying on your furnace to stay comfortable and healthy in your home.
Our JW Plumbing, Heating and Air HVAC technician will also run an efficiency check during the inspection and makes sure that the furnace isn’t consuming more fuel or electricity than it should. If furnace efficiency has inexplicably decreased, our HVAC technician will recommend an appropriate repair to address the situation.
5. Monitoring for Carbon Monoxide Leaks
The technician will also check for carbon monoxide issues during inspections. Carbon monoxide is produced as a byproduct of combustion in gas-powered furnaces. While some carbon monoxide production is normal, carbon monoxide levels can rise too high as a result of furnace malfunctions and thereby create a health hazard.
Carbon monoxide leaks are dangerous to household residents and need to be detected early. During inspection, HVAC technicians check carbon monoxide monitors and make sure carbon monoxide levels aren’t at an unhealthy level in your home’s interior.
6. Assurance of Continued Warranty Validity
Some furnace warranties require inspection every so often to keep the warranty effective. You should be aware of the terms of your furnace warranty in regard to inspection requirements or you risk compromising your warranty coverage and losing the money you’ve invested in your warranty.
7. Cleaning of the Heat Exchanger and Burner
Cleaning is an important part of routine inspections. Over time, dust and residue build-up around a furnace exterior. Such residue gets inside the furnace if it is not cleaned away. This restricts airflow and compromises interior air quality.
In particular, HVAC technicians focus on cleaning the heat exchanger and burner because these components are the most likely to accumulate residue and create the most significant airflow problems when they are dirty.
If you’d like to have an inspection performed on your home’s furnace before the year ends, contact us at JW Plumbing, Heating and Air.
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