Paying for heating services is a great way to take care of one of the most important systems in your home. You might wonder if you need to contact a technician right now, though. Homeowners should ask about heating system services at these four times.
In the Early Fall
Ideally, you should have a technician visit early enough in the fall that the weather hasn't turned cold yet. They can do simple work like using a boroscope to check that the burners are still clean. Likewise, a technician can run a few cycles to verify that the thermostat and heater are interacting properly. They can also check the filters and verify that all the vents are pushing air. If there does prove to be a problem with the system, it should at least be warm enough outside that the house will be at worst chilly while the technician works on the heater.
Before Buying a House
Prospective buyers don't need to have a heating services provider visit every place they like. However, before you commit to a house you do love, it's wise to have a technician inspect the system. They can identify the type of system, ensuring that you'll know what exactly you're up against. Similarly, they can provide an estimate of the system's age, an especially useful bit of information if the current owner can't confirm that information. Even if the system is still in good condition, it's nice to know how much more time it may have before it'll require replacement or a major overhaul.
Poor Performance
Whenever the system shows performance issues, ask a heating services contractor to check things out. For example, the system might repeatedly cycle more often than it should. This could be a sign of malfunctions with the thermostat, burners, blower, wiring, or other components.
Even if the system is functioning properly, its performance may decline. You might notice an uptick in consumption according to your natural gas or electric bill, though. Some efficiency declines are expected over the lifetime of a heating system, but you should be bowled over by the change in utility bills from one year to the next.
Noises
Modern heating setups are reasonably quiet. Other than the sound of the air moving through the vents, you shouldn't hear much going on. If you hear thumps, grinds, or clunks, those are signs that components may be failing. Also, if there is ever a boom, shut the system off immediately and call a heating services company.
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