Spring, for many, is a season of renewal, a time of fresh starts. With this, it’s no wonder that “cleaning” is one of the traditional activities of many families. If we look back during the early days like in the early 1800s, the need to spring clean is a must, as everyone once to clean up the “mess” that winter has brought in. The mess refers to the soot and grimes inside the houses – remember, there is no central heating back then and people heavily rely on fireplaces that use woods and coals during the winter season, and lighted lamps that use either whale oil or kerosene. As soon as spring comes in, people will start to do heavy cleaning to remove all the accumulated dirt inside the house and open their doors and windows to welcome in the fresh air and warmer season.
Modernization brings different ways to heat up our houses and while our heating condition during the winter is far from the ones that we used during the 1800s, carrying on the tradition of spring cleaning should still be carried on. This article will specifically focus on one of the most-used components of our houses during the winter season –the furnace, and why spring is the best time to clean your furnace out. To keep it running at its optimal level, furnaces should be thoroughly cleaned at least once a year. In general, you have to make sure that your furnace is in good condition before the onset of winter, but a good clean-up during spring is also the way to go. If you left furnace cleaning out of your spring-cleaning list, here are some of the reasons why you should reconsider: you definitely would want to eliminate those allergens and pollens, you can give your HVAC system a rest, removal of different contaminants, check damages from winter use, and ensure the efficiency of your whole HVAC system.
No matter what the season is, having your furnace cleaned and tuned up is essential for your home.
Here are the benefits of regular furnace cleaning:
- Protects product warranty – if in case you are not aware, having your furnace professionally inspected, maintained, or serviced is required. If your furnace is not maintained by professionals, your warranty will be voided. Check the clauses of your warranty to ensure that you would not pay for replacements and repairs that should be otherwise covered. This is a good way to protect your hard-earned money especially if the cause of the issue is due to the manufacturer’s fault.
- Increased lifespan of your furnace and prevent repairs – we have heard of homeowners reporting about all kinds of furnace repairs that can be preventable if clients’ furnaces were well-maintained. If you are one of those owners who thinks that professional maintenance is “costly”, think again. Without proper maintenance, there is a huge possibility that your furnace won’t even reach half of your manufacturer’s expected life span, so it may actually cost you more in the long run.Maintenance should be seen as an investment in your property. Some of the common issues of furnaces are water leaks, blowing cold air, carbon monoxide leaks, and frequent shut-offs, but with proper care, your furnace will avoid experiencing these issues, and your furnace could last between 15-20 years!
- Keep your family safe – regular maintenance is a must if you want to reduce the risk of accidents, such as bad airflow or carbon monoxide leaks. Protect your family from the possibility of being exposed to danger. In addition, do not forget that your furnace circulates air throughout your home. A poorly maintained furnace means that dust, airborne pollutants, allergens, viruses, mildew, and more are also part of your indoor air and will affect your family’s health.
- Lower energy cost – if your furnace has broken parts or has collected dirt and dust, it will not run at its peak efficiency. Dirt and dust build-up will surely affect the internal components of your furnace. This means that your machine will need to work harder to produce the required heat. The extra effort it takes means a higher energy cost for you, which will be reversed if your furnace is well-maintained.
Now that we have established how important furnace maintenance is, let’s now explore why you should consider furnace cleaning during the spring season:
If someone in your household has allergies, a clean furnace will help to control allergens and pollens
Spring is indeed a beautiful season with blooming flowers and budding trees; however, it also means that pollens and allergens are also present in the air and would easily enter your house. A spring cleaning of your furnace will help in removing any build-up of pollens. A clean furnace and filter will assure you that different allergens and pollens will be controlled thus safer and better air quality for your family.
Remove the various contaminants collected during winter
There’s a good chance that you already had your furnace cleaned before the winter season, but since your furnace has worked extra hard for months to provide heating, it also means that various contaminants, dust, and dirt have already accumulated during wintertime. You don’t want those contaminants to further build up in your system until before the next winter season.
In addition, those dust from the winter season could turn into spring mold with the humidity kicking in with the spring. If left for a long period, it could turn into mold, which is a health hazard.
You can give your HVAC system a rest
With the milder weather of spring, you can give your heating and air conditioning a good rest. Treat spring as a chance to give your system a pause and take it as a good opportunity for thorough checking and cleaning.
Check damages from winter use
Most likely, your furnace is out of the picture after the winter season since you have stopped using it. However, it is important to check for wear and tears from winter use. A tune-up is a good way to check for blockages from direst, corrosion, and debris. Aside from thorough cleaning, necessary repairs can also be done, electrical connections inspected and even lubrication of moving parts can be done by pros so that by the time that the temperature starts to drop again, your furnace is ready to go.
Ensure the efficiency of your whole HVAC system
If your think that furnace maintenance and clean-up can wait, then you are sacrificing the efficiency of your whole HVAC system. What many don’t realize is that your furnace and air conditioner share the components, like the air filter, compressor, coil fan, air circulating blower fan, and more. It means that unaddressed issues with your furnace will have a negative impact on your air conditioner. If your furnace is properly cleaned and has no issues, the efficiency of your entire HVAC system will improve.
Why should I hire a professional for furnace cleaning and maintenance?
There are simple things that homeowners can do for their furnaces, like inspecting and changing air filters, especially during the peak season of usage. You can check your furnace to ensure that your heating unit is free of debris and check for obvious signs of wear and tear. However, for thorough cleaning and maintenance, a professional contractor is needed. Keep in mind that furnaces are actually complex appliances, and not everything can be seen at face value.
Internal issues can snowball into costly repairs and can even cause system failure, and you won’t be able to spot these types of issues without a thorough evaluation and the right knowledge, tools, and experience. Or there is also a chance that a simple issue will turn into a major problem with the homeowner’s poor attempt at DIY repairs.
In addition, do not risk your safety by attempting to do the maintenance and repair. Professional contractors are trained and have the necessary licenses plus they know all the safety protocols to ensure that there are no untoward incidents.
How long will the furnace cleaning and maintenance take?
The usual time frame for furnace cleaning will be up to two hours, but this will depend on the status of your furnace, and if necessary repairs and replacement are needed.
Furnace cleaning and maintenance will also include:
- Visual inspection, testing, adjusting, cleaning of parts
- Lubricating moving parts
- Removal of dust, dirt, and debris
- Checking and tightening of wire connections
- Burner inspection
- Checking and replacing of air filters
- Thorough cleaning of different components
- Checking if all safety controls are operating safely, calibrate if necessary
- Check if natural gas pressure is set correctly
- Identifying issues and issuing recommendations to improve the operation
With all these, make sure to add furnace cleaning time to your list. Do not delay to ensure that your machine is performing efficiently, especially since it affects the entire HVAC system.
Find the best contractor in your area, request a quotation on furnace cleaning, maintenance, and repair here.
