Fall Furnace Tune-Up: Some Advice for Albuquerque Homeowners
The cold nights are coming, is your furnace up to it? You may have had some odd noises or patchy heating last winter and be concerned about a breakdown as the high desert cools off.
You would not be the only one with those concerns. For over a quarter of a century now, we at Ace Heating, Cooling, Plumbing and Electrical have put our experience to work for homeowners in Albuquerque. Should you need us, day or night, pick up the phone at (505) 578-5066.
New Mexico fall has its ways; an afternoon can be like summer but come evening a blanket is called for. Such a change in the weather will put a furnace that has been idle all summer under a good deal of strain. A bit of TLC in the fall is a good way to avoid headaches and expense down the road.
Why do it in the fall?
It is better to have your system in order before you put it to use. Put it off and when the first cold snap hits you will be vying with the rest of the neighborhood for service. Months of inactivity can mask minor defects in a furnace until the moment you put it on. With a tune-up you have the chance to put an end to them. Most Albuquerque homeowners make an appointment this time of year for any number of reasons:
- To see their energy bills drop as the system operates as it should
- To be spared a breakdown in the depth of winter
- For the sake of equipment longevity and performance
- More even warmth in the home
- The safety factor of a gas furnace
- Simply to have peace of mind going into the season
Things you can do
There is no need to call us for every little thing; some upkeep you can do yourself and it will do your system good between our visits.
An air filter is a case in point. Let it get clogged and the furnace has to labor for it, using more energy and taking its toll on the unit. Make a habit of looking at it once a month when you are running it hard and put in a new one if necessary.
Do a walk around and see that nothing is in the way of your vents and registers. Rugs, curtains and furniture have a way of obstructing the flow of warm air.
Then there is the thermostat. An older one might be worth replacing with a programmable type so you are not paying to heat an empty house. Give it a test run now to be sure of its response.
And use your senses. Turn on the furnace and if you hear a bang or rattle, or a burning smell that does not dissipate after a few minutes, have a pro take a look at it.
A professional’s eye
We would not have you guessing at the gas or electrical side of things; it is best left to a technician who knows what he is doing. Our team will be examining the following to ensure your system is sound:
- Heat exchanger for any sign of wear or a crack
- Gas pressure and connections
- All the electricals
- The burners and what is inside
- Thermostat calibration
- That the venting and airflow are as they ought to be
Our pricing is transparent and upfront, you will be told the cost before we start and there are no surprises. We are fully licensed and insured.
Heed the warning signs
Furnaces have their limits despite the care you give them. But it is much less costly to address a problem than to let it fail completely. If the unit is short-cycling, the bills are uncharacteristically high, it is blowing cool air or being noisy in a new way, make a call.
Should your system decide to stop working on a cold night in Albuquerque, we are here. Ace is on hand 24/7, there is no need to wait till morning.
Put your comfort in our hands
As a veteran-run, mission-driven firm we are proud of the service we provide in Albuquerque and out to Rio Rancho, Santa Fe, Gallup, the North Valley and beyond. The Better Business Bureau has given us an A+ and we stand behind our work with a 100% guarantee. We can also arrange financing via Wells Fargo and give you a free estimate to suit your budget.
Call us at (505) 578-5066 to set up a tune-up or an estimate and we will see you are warm for the winter.