The furnace is a critical part of your home’s heating system. Without a properly functioning furnace, the house can become uncomfortable, and even dangerous, when the temperatures outside dip low. As a homeowner, you should recognize that a furnace cannot run consistently for years at an optimal level without proper servicing. Therefore, knowing how frequently to book regular maintenance and when to schedule service appointments for your furnace is critical.

Check the Warranty

Before making any firm decisions about when to schedule a service appointment, check the unit’s warranty. If your furnace is under warranty, the document may very well indicate how frequently you must schedule service to prevent voiding the warranty. While some homeowners decide to put off service because of costs, this mistake is a serious one. If larger problems come to fruition later and you’ve voided the warranty by skipping over the required service, the costs could be tremendous and burdensome.

Book Yearly Appointments

A general rule of thumb is to have your furnace serviced once per year. Scheduling an annual appointment can help to identify any potential problems and resolve current issues with the unit before the busy season. After all, having the heating go out in the house during the middle of the winter could snowball into even bigger problems, such as needing to temporarily move out while the repairs are done. Annual maintenance can prevent this burdensome situation from occurring. Another benefit of getting the furnace serviced once per year is that you can save on costs. Catching problems when they are small tends to lead to less money spent in the long term. A properly maintained furnace can also last longer, which can mean that you don’t need to budget for an entirely new furnace soon. Make sure to book your appointment with one of our team members in advance. As the winter approaches, in particular, technicians do tend to book up with appointments.

Consider Your Furnace’s Age

You may need to schedule more regular service appointments for an older furnace. For a variety of reasons, older furnaces can require more work. For example, the furnace may simply be unable to meet the demands of modern households. It’s also possible that the furnace has had troubles in the recent past, so the technician may want to keep an eye on any other problems that could potentially emerge. When you’re concerned about the age of your furnace and whether that number means more service appointments, one of our staff members can provide you with appropriate guidance. Our technicians can also potentially give you an idea of when the right time to replace the furnace may be, which allows you to get a head start on saving for the unit. Getting regular maintenance for an old furnace can also introduce you to new features, such as smart tools, that may help your home’s heating system to function more efficiently.

Pay Attention to Issues

If you’re thinking about regular service, you will likely follow the annual rule unless our team members suggest a different plan. However, you should also schedule a service appointment for the furnace if you notice certain issues. A malfunctioning furnace is a sure sign that booking an immediate appointment is necessary. Knowing some of the common problems with furnaces can help you to understand what issues to keep an eye out for.

Unusual Smells

A strange smell coming from the furnace could be a sign of imminent danger. Calling emergency services is necessary as is evacuating from the home. An unusual smell coming from the furnace could be a sign of a gas leak or an impending explosion. Once the emergency services team has been contacted and the issue identified, you can book an appointment with one of our repair technicians to fully diagnose and resolve the issue.

Strange Noises

Furnaces do typically make some level of noise as the units operate. You can talk with one of our representatives about the normal sounds that a furnace should make. If you notice unusual or new sounds coming from the furnace, book an appointment to have the matter looked at by a professional.

Unexplained Reduction in Temperature

If you’ve long kept your home at a comfortable temperature during the colder months and are now suddenly noticing that the thermostat is unexpectedly dropping too low, a problem with the furnace could be the issue. Let our technicians look to get your home back to a pleasant degree as soon as possible.

Cold Spots

Perhaps some of the rooms in your home still feel comfortable, but you’ve noticed that certain spots or rooms are suddenly quite chilly. You might also notice that only one story of the house is getting warm. Cold spots or areas could indicate that your furnace is not properly distributing heat through the house.

Light Issues

You should also pay attention to the light on your furnace. If you notice that the light is flickering, blinking, changing in color, or acting in other unusual ways, schedule an appointment to find out what the problem is. A malfunctioning furnace light could be an indication that a bigger and more serious problem is happening in the unit.

New Home

When you’re moving into a new place, you likely have a lot of tasks to check off your to-do list. Make sure to prioritize the health of the furnace in the new space. Getting the furnace checked out at some point in the moving process is a smart decision. Even if the house has been advertised as coming with a regularly maintained furnace, you can never be too careful when it comes to keeping the home safe and comfortable. Our technicians can help you to learn all about your new furnace.

Listen to Guidance

It’s important to keep in mind that these guidelines are only general rules. In other words, when our technicians come to check out your furnace, they might have additional recommendations based on the condition of the specific unit in your home. They might resolve a problem and then recommend a follow-up appointment before the coldest months to check up on the issue again. Work with our team members to develop an affordable plan that keeps your furnace running in the best condition.

At Bold City Heating & Air in Jacksonville, we’re here to address all your heating and cooling needs. We serve numerous communities in the Jacksonville area, including but not limited to Fleming Island, Ponte Vedra Beach, Julington Creek Plantation, and San Marco. When it comes to both heating and air conditioning, we offer repair, installation, and maintenance services. Our team members can work on heat pumps as well as add a WIFI thermostat to your home, conduct an indoor air quality check, or install insulation. Make sure to check out our financing offers and current specials. To schedule an appointment for service or repairs, contact Bold City Heating & Air today.

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