Furnace Tune Up in Lynchburg, VA

Signs Your Furnace is Overdue for a Tune-Up

Your furnace will often give you warning signs that it needs attention. If you notice any of the following, it’s time to schedule a maintenance visit:

1. A sudden, unexplained increase in your heating bills.
2. Unusual noises like banging, rattling, squealing, or grinding.
3. The furnace is cycling on and off more frequently than usual.
4. Uneven heating, with some rooms being too hot and others too cold.
5. Weak or reduced airflow coming from your vents.
6. The pilot light on a gas furnace is yellow or flickering instead of a steady blue.

The Overwhelming Benefits of Annual Furnace Maintenance

Scheduling a yearly tune-up is more than just a box to check on your home maintenance list. It delivers tangible, long-term benefits that protect your home and your budget.

1. Enhanced Energy Efficiency: A clean, well-calibrated furnace doesn’t have to work as hard to heat your home. By cleaning components like the blower wheel and ensuring optimal gas pressure, we restore your system to its peak operating efficiency. This translates directly into lower monthly energy bills.
2. Reduced Risk of Costly Breakdowns: The most common time for a furnace to fail is during the first major cold snap when it’s placed under sudden, heavy strain. Our tune-up identifies and addresses worn-out parts and potential failures, drastically reducing the likelihood of an inconvenient and expensive emergency repair call.
3. Improved Home Safety: Your furnace is a combustion appliance, and safety is paramount. A critical part of our service is inspecting the heat exchanger for cracks that could leak dangerous carbon monoxide gas. We also check gas lines, electrical connections, and safety controls to prevent fire hazards and ensure your system is operating safely.
4. Extended Furnace Lifespan: A furnace is a significant investment. Just like a car, it will last much longer with regular, professional care. By lubricating moving parts, cleaning components, and preventing excessive wear and tear, an annual tune-up can add years to the functional life of your heating system.
5. Better Indoor Air Quality: Your furnace circulates air throughout your entire home. A dirty system, clogged filter, and dusty blower assembly can distribute allergens, dust, and microbes. Our thorough cleaning process helps improve your home's indoor air quality, creating a healthier environment for your family.
6. Maintains Manufacturer’s Warranty: Many furnace manufacturers require proof of regular professional maintenance to keep the warranty valid. Skipping a tune-up could void your warranty, leaving you responsible for the full cost of a major component failure.

Our Comprehensive Furnace Tune-Up Checklist

When you schedule a furnace tune-up with us, you are getting more than a quick look-over. At Southern Air, our certified technicians perform a detailed, multi-point inspection and cleaning process designed to optimize every aspect of your system’s performance. Our comprehensive service includes:

1. Heat Exchanger Inspection: We perform a meticulous visual inspection of the heat exchanger to identify any cracks, rust, or separations that could pose a serious carbon monoxide risk.
2. Blower Motor and Wheel Cleaning: We clean the blower assembly to ensure proper airflow. A clean blower operates more efficiently and distributes heat more evenly throughout your home.
3. Burner and Ignition System Check: We inspect and clean the burners to ensure efficient fuel combustion and test the ignition system for reliable startup.
4. Gas Pressure and Line Inspection: We measure the gas pressure to ensure it aligns with manufacturer specifications for safe and efficient operation and inspect gas lines for any potential leaks.
5. Complete Safety Control Test: We test all safety switches and controls, including the high-limit switch, to verify they will shut the system down properly in an unsafe condition.
6. Thermostat Calibration: We check your thermostat’s calibration to ensure it is reading the room temperature correctly and communicating properly with the furnace.
7. Electrical Connection Tightening: We inspect and tighten all electrical connections to prevent shorts and improve the system’s longevity and safety.
8. Lubrication of Moving Parts: We lubricate all moving parts, such as the motor bearings, to reduce friction, noise, and energy consumption.
9. Filter Inspection and Change: We inspect your air filter and replace it if you have a new one on hand, or advise you on the correct type and size for optimal performance.
10. Carbon Monoxide Testing: We test the ambient air around the furnace for any signs of carbon monoxide to give you complete peace of mind.