Is it important to have done? Do you have to do it every year?Does just vaccuuming it out take care of it all? and how much should I expect to pay?
once in 2 yrs or even 3 yrs is sufficient, just vac it out and changing the filters will help,[filters need changed at least 3 times during the heating session, ] most fan bearings are sealed , so there's nothing to do to them,
He cleans it if necessary, cleans or replaces the filter, lubricates moving parts as needed, replaces worn parts, checks the operation and adjustment of the fan, makes sure that the limiting switches turn the burner on and off correctly so that the unit starts and stops at the correct settings, checks for cracks in the heat exchanger to be sure that carbon monoxide isn't escaping into the house, and tunes the unit so that it operates as efficiently as possible, so that you get as much heat from it for the minimum amount of fuel used. When I had my furnace serviced a month or two ago, it cost me about $140, give or take a few dollars. It's a good idea to have it done every year, if possible. The peace of mind knowing that it will operate safely is worth it. Also, with the high cost of heating fuel, it's good to know that it will be operating efficiently.
Let's look at it this way...your unit can have a base price of $1200 dollars. A good tech will charge maybe $150 dollars to service, ie; check for gas leaks,coil, rust, hardwire connections, efficiency, etc. If a problem is not found and corrected, you could ruin the system and have to replace, or worst case, succumb to Co2 poisoning. (I see a lot of this in my job, as some people don't even change a filter yearly, much less monthly...bad move. The last client paid $8000 to replace his system.)Either way, a better bet to prevent rather than fix. My HVAC system has lasted well for 30 years and I have it checked twice a year and updated to be as efficient as possible. Because I am a good customer, the company gives me a great rate.
They make sure of the following: The motor is oiled the burners are cleaned of rust the chamber is vacuumed out the vent is clear(No bird nest wasp nest cobwebs) all the safetys are ok the pilot assembly is functioning. then you turn the thermostat to HEAT let the furnace fire up make sure the thremostat shuts down the unit ok stuff like that.Yeah it needs to be checked out every year. HVAC companys offer a tune up on heaters. It is worth it to get that done. Be sure it is a reputable company and not some scammer that will charge you 400 bucks for a blower cage.Get sears out there.If you call the gas company then you may be asking for trouble. These guys are not repairmen. They look for ways to upgrade your heating so when they see any rust at all its red tag city.Their answer is always replacement. To me that is a scam.
Unfortunately, if your home was a spec or developer built tract house, most builders shave costs by putting in the bare minimum required for heating and cooling, and sometimes not even that. I have seen it 100 times. They will buy a gross of 50 or 100 units at a time to get a volume discount price, and then put them in every house, even if they are slightly undersized. Building and plumbing inspectors rarely catch the inadequate BTU rating, as they might not have the homes square footage information. On a custom built house, the homeowner is involved in the construction decisions to avoid this, but not in tract housing. Discuss what to do about this with the underwriting company of the warranty, as it is in their best interest to not keep paying for repairs that don't work. If that doesn't work, then I would contact the Attorney Generals office and BBB. 15 years is the max life for most furnace/boilers today. It may be time for a replacement, but check your warrant, as most pro-rate and depreciate for age, which will leave you with the entire bill in this case.
