As temperatures — and eventually snowflakes — begin to fall during the winter months ahead, knowing you have a cozy, warm house waiting when you go outdoors makes all the difference.
That is, until your furnace goes on the fritz! Luckily, there are steps you can take to avoid a cold weather HVAC catastrophe, including having an annual furnace inspection. Find out what makes a professional tune up so important and what to expect in terms of furnace tune-up cost.
How Much Does it Cost to Get a Furnace Inspected?
A furnace check up costs an average of $80 to $100, but more if repairs are also needed. Service contracts or maintenance plans may reduce the cost of an annual visit and prevent higher costs of upkeep in the future, so it is recommended to have a regular inspection scheduled.
Experts also recommend tuning up your A/C before cooling season, so service contracts often include an annual inspection for both systems. The cost of a furnace tune up may be part of your air conditioning inspection, too.
Why Should You Get an Annual Furnace Inspection?
Maintenance and Prevention
Keeping your heating system humming goes a long way toward avoiding any unexpected breakdowns when the temperature gets to be cold outside.
During an annual furnace check up, your HVAC technician should examine all the parts of your unit and ducts, clean and lubricate the necessary parts, and make sure no abnormal pressure is building up anywhere in the system.
A furnace pro should also make sure your thermostat is functioning properly, and change your air filter. As with all major home systems, regular maintenance helps prevent small problems from getting bigger and costing more money down the line.
Efficiency and Savings
Don’t make your furnace work harder than it has to! A well-functioning furnace translates into efficiency, which keeps your energy bills low. That’s right — the furnace inspection cost up front can save you money down the road.
Having a regular inspection helps you avoid having to make unexpected repairs or — even worse — replace your furnace entirely. What’s more, if your furnace goes kaput at an inconvenient time, like during non-business hours or a holiday, you might spend more for service.
During every visit, your furnace professional can update you on how long to expect your unit to last. This lets you prepare financially for a potential replacement on the horizon.
Health and Safety
Making sure that your furnace functions properly can also be a matter of life and death. Carbon monoxide (CO) leaks stemming from an improperly functioning furnace can cause serious health problems, including headaches, nausea or dizziness. In severe cases, it can be fatal.
About 400 Americans die and 20,000 visit the emergency room for unintentional CO poisoning each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Because CO is a colorless and odorless gas, it’s difficult to detect, making it all the more important to have a professional inspect your heating unit for safety.
Tips for Top Performance
Whether you have an old furnace or one that’s been recently installed, there are a few DIY steps you can take throughout the year to ensure your system is running smoothly and efficiently:
- Change your air filter on a regular basis, at minimum every three months.
- Use a programmable thermostat to save energy and make sure it functions properly.
- Do a visual inspection of your furnace periodically and call a pro if anything looks amiss.
- Schedule an annual professional inspection, ideally before heating season.
How Much Does a Furnace Tune-Up Cost?
A furnace inspection costs an average of $80 to $100. Your cost may increase if more furnace repairs are needed, or based on the specifics of your HVAC system. If detrimental issues are uncovered, you’ll be quoted for the repair or potential replacement of your HVAC equipment.
Like we’ve mentioned before, the furnace inspection cost is worth it if you’re alerted to best practices you haven’t been following, or are given an estimation for a potential replacement. That inside look into the health of your HVAC equipment ensures you know what to expect from the upcoming season, and the years ahead.
What’s Included In a Furnace Tune-Up?
A furnace tune-up is a set of steps we follow to maximize the lifespan of your heating system and make sure your equipment will last throughout the winter system. As part of a furnace tune-up, we’ll check your fan belt, tighten electrical connections, lubricate any moving parts, inspect the filter and exhaust system, as well as inspect the heat exchanger. Our team of HVAC experts will make necessary adjustments to the pilot and gas pressure and inspect and clean the burner.
Testing systems, removing debris and blockages, tightening and lubricating are the basic steps we employ to assess the overall condition of your furnace.
Call John C. Flood for your furnace inspection
If you decide to schedule a furnace inspection, call (703) 214-5611 for courteous and expert service. Our team of professionals will get your furnace in tip-top shape for the season. You can also enroll in one of our annual energy saving management plans.
