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The Benefits of Regular Maintenance
Only about 55% of home owners have their heating equipment professionally serviced at least once a year, according to a recent survey of home owners across the country by Honeywell, Inc.
 They're the smart ones, because an annual heating system tune-up is one of the best home maintenance investments you can make.
But what about the 45% of home owners who neglect annual maintenance?
They pay the following penalties:
Fuel bills will rise as much as 10-15% as a result of inefficient equipment operation. It's like having a fireplace that burns money.
Accelerated equipment wear. Annual maintenance extends equipment life by as much as 20 - 30%. This translates into an additional 5 - 10 years of usage for your furnace or boiler.
Most service contractors will tell you that about 75% of all repairs they do could have been avoided with regular maintenance. Heating system repairs typically run into the hundreds of dollars - more fuel for that money burning fireplace.
Most important, annual heating inspections can save your life and the lives of your loved ones. Small cracks in a heat exchanger or problems with the flue system could allow deadly carbon monoxide gas to seep into your home. A trained service technician knows how to spot danger signs in the system.
Modern heating equipment is very sophisticated. The well equipped service technician has an array of electronic measuring devices and tools to properly service these units; unfortunately many of today's servicemen still operate with the old "eyeballing" methods, such as adjusting the flame on a burner merely by looking at its colour.
They are simply not up to the task of keeping a modern heating system operating at peak efficiency.
Always put your trust in a qualified, properly equipped technician.
Furnace Checklist
- Check operation of safety limit controls
- Check operation of thermostat
- Lubricate blower and motor bearings as required
- Clean and inspect blower assembly
- Check blower speed and operation
- Check pressure switches and vent blower
- Inspect burners and clean if required
- Examine vent connector and inspect venting system
- Check and adjust pilot light (if required)
- Check flame rectification
- Measure stack (flue) temperature
- Check gas piping to furnace
- Clean air filters and re-install - Instruct customer on filter maintenance
- Clean equipment interior
- Check and adjust manifold gas pressure
- Combustion ventilation air adequate
- Check for elevated carbon monoxide levels
- Inspect heat exchanger
- Check 'Delta T' between supply and return plenums
- Clean equipment exterior
Boiler - Hot Water Heating Equipment
- Check water pressure and temperature set points
- Check expansion tank
- Check and lubricate circulator pump (if required)
- Check operation of vent damper
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What You Shoud be Checking
Your filter: A clean filter will not only improve air quality, but it will help protect your furnace as well. A dirty filter can raise your operating costs, promote parts failure and reduce furnace life.
Call Gary today at 250-385-5707! |
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