The time for an annual service call is now. The peace of mind part comes later. When you’re starting up your heating system for the season after a long summer off, it’s not unusual to encounter certain problems related to the long cooling season layoff. Other failures are more common later in the season, when heating demand is at its peak. Scheduling an annual service check now, when you’re not shivering in an unheated house and your HVAC contractor’s available at standard rates, is the best way to address both issues. The technician can troubleshoot any problems relating to start-up and perform preventive maintenance procedures to head off potential trouble later. 

Here are the elements of an annual service call to prepare for another heating season:

  1. The furnace air cleaner will be replaced. The technician can show you how to do this yourself. It should be changed as often as monthly during heating season. A quick visual inspection is the best way to tell whether it’s getting clogged with dust and debris.
  2. The flame sensor inside the combustion chamber will be cleaned of residue. The furnace burner will be taken out and washed.
  3. Blower fan belts will be inspected for excessive wear and adjusted for correct tension.
  4. The exhaust vent will be visually inspected for obstructions.
  5. Connections to the thermostat will be verified and the technician will make sure the thermostat is calibrated and that it signals the furnace to light at the correct temperature.
  6. Natural gas pressure to the manifold will be measured. Low pressure could indicate a leak in the buried gas supply pipe or elsewhere.
  7. Proper function of the electronic igniter (or pilot light, if installed) will be verified.
  8. The technician will start up the furnace and use a detector to check the exhaust flue for excessive carbon monoxide gas.
  9. The measured temperature in the supply ducts will be compared to the temperature in the return ducts to verify that the readings are within the manufacturer’s range for temperature rise.
  10. The operation of safety controls including the high-limit switch to prevent overheating will be verified.

Contact the pros at Comfort Systems for heating and cooling expertise in the Wichita area. We’re ready to schedule an annual service call to get your system set for another Kansas winter.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Wichita, Kansas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about annual service calls and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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