furnace Archives - Luxury Heating Company

Are Annual Furnace Tune-Ups Really Necessary?

October 12, 20210

This is an easy one: yes, yes they are. Routine maintenance on your HVAC system is not only the best way to prevent future, expensive repairs, it is also essential to the overall health and safety of your furnace. Honestly though, we get it, you spent so much on the furnace itself now you have to routinely shell out $100 or so every year to maintain it. Annoying, right? What it comes down to is this: the value and significance of the furnace warrants the care and consideration. Since, heat in our homes is one of those non-negotiable necessities, we need to do our best to keep things running smoothly. We, here at Luxury Heating & Air Conditioning, are such proponents of preventative maintenance we put together this detailed list to bring you to our side.

It Could Save You Thousands in Repairs

Furnace tune-ups prevent future breakdowns. This is especially true with older systems. Staying on top of your furnace maintenance now, will help it run smoothly during the dead of winter, when you need it most.

Tune-ups usually consist of standard cleaning, lubricating parts, checking connections and keeping an eye out for any problems that ned to be addressed. If you don’t get these annual tune-ups your system will most likely be working harder than it needs to be; jacking up your energy bills and shortening the life of your system in the process.

Furnace tune-ups cost anywhere from $80-$150, this might seem like a nuisance now but that is nothing compared to the thousands that repairs and replacements can cost.

It Could Save You Money On You Energy Bill

We have already stated, a poorly maintained furnace has to work harder to pump air. Now, since the average home spends more than $2,200 a year on energy, with nearly half of that going toward the heating and cooling process, do you really want your system to be wasting energy working harder than it needs to?

A routine maintenance call can improve your system’s energy efficiency by up to 30%, this will go a long way in lightening the load on your wallet each month.

It Will Increase Airflow and Air Quality

Dirty filters are efficiency killers. A standard tune-up will involve basic cleaning and a new air filter, this cleaning process will remove dust and debris from your system. This will take stress off the unit, increase air flow and provide cleaner air throughout your home.

They will also do a static airflow test. This will measure how hard the fan has to work to pump air throughout your home. If it is working too hard it can shorten the lifespan of your system and create problems that will cost money to repair

their are solutions to be had to protect your unit

You could choose to get a more involved tune-up which will include duct cleaning, this goes a step further towards cleaner air and a more efficient system.

It Might Be Necessary to Maintain Your Warranty

This is as straightforward as it gets. It depends on the furnace manufacturer but most warrantees require installation as well as regular maintenance to be done by a certified technician. Complying with your warranty agreement will save you loads of cash down the road if a major problem occurs.

It Could Prevent a Future CO2 Leak

The prior points on this list were about saving money and increasing comfort, (which are important!) this point though: this is about safety. Around 50,000 Americans visit the emergency room every year due to carbon monoxide poisoning. The scary part about CO2 poisoning is that the gas tasteless, odorless and cannot be seen, so the warning signs come from symptoms alone (detectors can and should be installed).

Now, all systems have failsafes in place to prevent this disaster from happening, however leaks can still occur. The most common issue we see that can cause a leak is a cracked heat exchanger, which is the set of coils that create the hot air that is then circulated throughout your home. This happens mostly when the coils are overstressed and working too hard, which in turn, can happen from dirty air filters or the wrong size system.

A tune-up would prevent this. Our expert technicians are trained to identify cracked heat exchangers and any other problem that might cause a dangerous CO2 leak.

So, even if everything is working fine and dandy, preventative furnace maintenance can still improve the efficiency and lengthen the lifespan of your system. Just keep in mind, a properly maintained furnace will not use any more energy than necessary, it can last up to 20 years, and it will keep your family warm and safe during the cold winter months. Make sure your furnace is in peak condition and ready to go all fall and winter long, call Luxury Heating & Air Conditioning today to schedule a tune-up.

Why Does My Furnace Smell Like Its Burning?

Every year around this time our customers come to us with concerns about a burning smell coming from their furnace. Naturally, this is a worrisome situation for many because in our minds a burning smell heralds a fire. However, this is not always the case and the smell could be completely harmless and normal, even expected. Read on to find out when you should and should not be concerned when your furnace smells like somethings on fire.

Your Furnace is Shaking the Dust Off After Its Long Summer Nap

It happens this time of year because October is typically the month everyone gives into the change of season and turns on the heater for the first time. During your furnace’s dormant period it has accumulated layers of dust on its internal components, such as the heat exchanger as well as in and around the burners.

As your furnace heats back up it is burning this dust off, hence the burning smell. This is normal and is not considered to be a safety hazard. The smell should go away after a few hours once the furnace burns all the dust away.

Tip: to minimize this annoying smell, consider turning on your furnace during a mild day where you can open the windows and let the burning smell waft away without compromising your comfort and every usage.

Okay, But Its Been A Few Hours and It Still Smells Like Burning

Well, now we might have a problem. If your furnace is still emitting a burning smell after having it on for a long time there is a chance that your air filter is clogged or worse, there is an electrical issue.

First, check your filter. If it is in fact, clogged your blower motor is most likely working overtime and beginning to overheat, producing the burning smell. Not to mention the clogged filter will produce dirt and debris to buildup on the furnace which would also smell like burning. Change the filter and consider calling a pro in to cleanup/tuneup the system.

If the filter isn’t clogged and you think it might be an electrical issue call one of our technicians immediately as this can be a major fire hazard. Normally, a furnace will power itself down when it begins to overheat; if it doesn’t, the safety feature is compromised and will need service as soon as possible.

The Smell is Persistent and the Burning Smells Like Plastic

This could be from a number of reasons: a foreign object made its way into your HVAC system. Anything from a child’s toy to a plastic fork could’ve gotten down there and is now wreaking havoc on your nostrils. The scent of burning plastic could also be from an overheating kitchen appliance or more still, there might be issues in your unit with broken down or worn out furnace parts. Regardless of the reason for this particular smell an HVAC specialist needs to handle it in a timely manner to avoid further damage to your unit and safety, as bunting plastic can emit toxic fumes.

What About A GunPowder Smell?

Anything associated with gunpowder probably seems like a major safety hazard but really its just dangerous for the system. This specific aroma is most likely the result of a fried-circuit board or an overheated fan motor. Either way it is not a good idea to continue running your furnace. Hit the off switch and call an HVAC pro on the double.

Burning Oil or a Smoky Scent…?

While heating essential oils seems to be the latest fad, an oily scent from your furnace is not good for you or your “chakras”. This oily or smoky scent comes from an oil furnace that needs an oil filter change to avoid overheating. If, after the change, the smell continues damage was most likely done to the system and an HVAC specialist needs to be called. In the meantime, turn off the unit ASAP as some problems can cause the system to catch fire.

All furnace smells are not created equal, that being said, while they are not all dangerous they should all be investigated if they are persistent. For example, if your house smells like burning dust when you first turn it on and goes away after a few hours with returning, there is nothing to worry about. Persistent burning, burning plastic, gunpowder or smoky oils must be dealt with immediately as they are either a safety hazard, a huge risk to your system, or both. If you’ve got a questionable smell coming from your furnace contact us at Luxury Heating & Air Conditioning today, we are here to diagnose and be the solution to all your HVAC problems.

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