ANNUAL FURNACE MAINTENANCE

Why is it important to have your furnace serviced on an annual basis?

Most people may not be familiar with how their furnace operates, which is why we at Okanagan Heating and Air Conditioning Ltd recommend that Kelowna and surrounding area homeowners should call us in on an annual basis, for the following very important reasons:

SAFETY
EFFICIENCY
LONGEVITY
INSURANCE PURPOSES

Pretty much everyone agrees that you need to maintain your automobile, but when it comes to the mechanical components in your home, they often don't realize that the same principles apply- maintenance on a regular basis will help prolong the life of the equipment and avoid costly breakdowns during peak usage, not to mention possible fire hazards.

Okanagan Heating & Air Conditioning Combination Packages

GAS FURNACE CHECKLIST

clean furnace filter
check operation of thermostat
check operation of limit controls
lubricate inducer motor
clean ventor nipple
oil fan motor (pull, clean if necessary)*additional charges and/or time may need to be scheduled
check blower and motor operation
check fan pulley
check fan belt tension and alignment
clean burners and adjust venturi if necessary
check furnace flue and vent connectors
check electrical wiring and connections
clean pilot
check pilot safety
check hot surface ignitor
clean sensor (and test)
clean spark ignitor
clean furnace interior and exterior
check gas valve
instruct customer on any faults or needed repairs
run through cycle
advise customer of any faults or needed repairs

BEFORE YOU CALL: Know the difference between setting up an annual maintenance appointment and a service call.

Being mindful of your system's maintenance is important to you and your serviceman. Determining the difference between maintenance and service is relatively simple and saves you time and money! Maintenance is virtually an “oil change” for your home heating and cooling equipment. This keeps everything operating at prime levels. This is a simple annual tune-up and cleaning of your equipment. So if everything is in working order and just needs a fine tuning, MAINTENANCE is where it's at.

Service/Diagnostic involves repair when a unit is not working properly, not working at all, or is experiencing anything out of the normal daily functions.

Sometimes it's the things we least expect. A few simple steps can help your wallet!

Most programmable digital thermostats have batteries. Giving these a changeover at least twice a year should keep everything communicating effectively.
Changing the furnace filter is extremely important to the preformance and longevity of your furnace, replacing the filter up to as regularly as every two months with a proper fitting filter can make the difference in safe operation.
Last but not least, check the main power switch - sometimes, the power switch can be mistaken for a regular light switch and can get accidentally turned off.

When should you replace :

When the cost of the repairs is about 50% or more of the cost of replacement
When the unit requires frequent repairs
When humidity problems signal operating issues
When the Warranty has expired
When high dust and low air quality problems are present
When the furnace is more than 15 years old and heat pump or a/c is more than ten years of age .