How Often Should You Tune Up Your Furnace?

September 30, 2020

Between specialized lawn applications and raking, you typically do a lot to get your yard ready for cooler temperatures. In your home, your furnace is similar. It also needs service to keep it running correctly during the fall and winter.

But how frequently should you maintain your furnace in Rapid City? What if it’s new? Or operating well? Are tune-ups needed then? Let’s go over why furnace maintenance is necessary and how often you should request it.

Why Furnace Service is Essential

Your furnace is essential to keeping your residence pleasant during cold weather. When it’s frequently tuned up, you’ll receive reliable, efficient heating. If you often skip tune-ups, your furnace can become dirty. This can make your furnace work harder and, as a result, increase your utility expenses. A lack of maintenance can also lead your furnace to break down, sticking you with expensive repair bills that could have been preventable in many situations.

One of the most crucial things you can do by yourself is consistently replacing your furnace’s air filter. When your filter gets clogged, your furnace could start doing something known as short cycling, where it flips on and off repeatedly to avoid overheating. Besides the fact that this affects your utility expenses, it also decreases your furnace’s life expectancy since it’s running more frequently.

If you have a flat filter, we suggest putting in a new one at least every 30 days. Pleated filters can work up to three months. An easy way to check whether you need to get a fresh filter is by taking it out and moving it toward the light. If you don’t notice light through it, you should get a new one.

However, how often you should get a new filter is dependent upon how frequently your furnace runs, if you have indoor animals and if anyone in your home has allergies. The Street Heating and Cooling specialists can help if you aren’t sure how frequently you should change your filter or what the best type is for your needs.

How Frequently You Should Request Furnace Maintenance

We suggest scheduling furnace maintenance in Rapid City once a year, if possible during the time between air conditioning and heating season. This will give you an advantage just in case you have to have any repairs and will verify you get headache-free heating during the winter. It also keeps your manufacturer’s warranty intact, which is important if you have a new furnace.

Other than getting a new air filter and keeping your register grates free of dirt, we don’t recommend trying furnace maintenance alone. Your furnace is a complicated piece of equipment that requires assistance from a heating and cooling pro. All our friendly Street Heating and Cooling technicians have passed in-depth courses to better serve you. They’re also completely licensed and insured, giving you peace of mind that your heating system is in good hands.

Here are some of items we’ll perform on our maintenance visit:

  • Check crucial components of your furnace, including the heat exchanger, blower and burner.
  • Clean the interior of your furnace, such as the flame sensor, burner and blower.
  • Look at the flue to ensure it’s venting correctly.
  • Evaluate total furnace system for safety and ideal heating.

Now is a great time to schedule your furnace maintenance appointment with Street Heating and Cooling. Our experts are here to help you enjoy a worry-free winter with energy-efficient warmth. Contact us at 605-206-3915 to book your appointment today, and remember to view our offers for special discounts on your next maintenance appointment.