How To Prepare For Furnace Inspection

It’s that time of year again! Time to prepare for your furnace inspection and cleaning. We all know that winter can be brutal, especially here in Canada. That’s why ensuring that your furnace runs smoothly and efficiently long before the cold weather hits is crucial.

If you wait until it’s cold outside to find out that maybe something needs fixing or replacing,  you and your family could be in for a very long, cold winter! So, how do you prepare for your furnace inspection and cleaning? If you have questions like “How do you inspect and clean a furnace” or you may not even know that there is such a thing as furnace inspection and cleaning, you need to get on top of that pronto. 

Make sure you call a qualified technician who can check everything over so all systems run smoothly during the winter months ahead. Our HVAC contractor in Toronto can make that happen! Once you have someone scheduled, there are a few things that you can do to prepare for their arrival.

What Is A Furnace Clean And Check?

While most people are aware that their furnace can fail at any time, it’s not until they experience cold weather and low heat in the house during this season that problems arise. At that point, homeowners hope everything is working properly to avoid having an uninhabitable home for friends or family members. A lot goes into making sure our furnaces work well: adjusting thermostats, replacing batteries, and cleaning filters are only some of the things we can do on our own, but furnace inspection and cleaning is a rigorous process that requires the expert opinion of a technician. 

Hiring a licensed HVAC professional is your first step toward ensuring that you have the most reliable heating system in place. They are trained to identify potential problems with furnaces, which can lead them down an unnecessary repair path or even cause malfunction during use when people need their heat most! Regular maintenance ensures peak performance from start to finish by making sure all parts operate as efficiently together without any mechanical issues.

Furnace Inspection And Cleaning

When your furnace is working properly, it pays off in terms of energy efficiency and longevity. HVAC technicians can check for safety issues as well so you don’t have any problems with the equipment itself! Good service from an expert will extend its life by 20% – 40%. That means less expensive repairs down the road because those maintenance tasks are taken care of now rather than later when they might become more complicated or costly.

Heating and air conditioning systems are vital parts of your home, but they can fail without warning. That’s why you need to schedule regular inspections with a qualified HVAC technician so that any issues during the inspection will be caught before causing harm or discomfort in the house! Here are some common problems associated with furnaces include:

• clogged blowers and filters, which reduce efficiency
• dirty heat exchangers that strain the airflow system – leading to the increased operating cost of your home’s HVAC
• cracks in pipes or ductwork causing gas leaks into the house (which could also lead directly to rising energy bills)
• burners not working properly, causing loud noise when heating occurs etc.
• unlubricated parts requiring attention, such as belts/drive

The inspection will show if your furnace needs any repairs. Suppose it’s at the end of its lifespan or has been performing incorrectly for some time. In that case, you might be better off replacing rather than fixing this integral part to avoid costly and complicated maintenance work on an older unit. Sometimes, the technicians need to order a new part to complete the inspection and have your furnace running again smoothly. 

How Often Does A Furnace Need To Be Checked?

First of all, let’s start with a fundamental tenet: keeping your appliances in top shape increases efficiency and overall performance. This needs to stay in our minds forever; it is the most basic truth when it comes to appliances. You may have bought the most expensive, cutting-edge furnace; if you treat it poorly, it will leave you sooner than you thought or expected. Keep your appliances inspected and get your money’s worth. 

You may have heard that hiring someone to do a furnace inspection on an annual basis is merely a money-making scheme, but it’s actually one of the most important things you can do for your home and family. Regular inspections will help prevent major malfunctions, which could cost lots more in repairs or even lead up to unsafe living conditions due to those pesky germs we all wish would just go away! And if there are any potential problems with our furnaces after buying them new, then usually manufacturer warranties require yearly checkups as well–so make sure not to skip out this year because “you never know.”

So, are annual furnace inspections really necessary? Yes, they are. Rule of Thumb: Check your furnace annually! 

Emergency Repairs

In the event that your furnace breaks down, you will need to call for professional help as soon as possible. Without adequate heating in place with below-freezing temperatures can be challenging, especially if there are no working alternatives around, such as electric blankets or space heaters. However, you may find yourself in the uncomfortable situation that such things might not even work due to low voltage levels from lost batteries on thermostats, without automatic turnoffs at night time when systems shut off, etc. An HVAC technician is needed before anything else, so don’t try fixing it yourself unless you are absolutely sure what needs fixing first.

When you have a furnace problem, time is of the essence.  It is the last thing that anyone needs in their house or business during cold weather months. Here are some emergencies which should be taken care of immediately by professionals so as not to risk voiding the warranty and causing harm:

Examples of Emergency Repairs

• Occasionally, you might notice a strong gas or egg scent near your furnace. This can indicate that something is wrong with it, and it needs to go out immediately for safety reasons until the fire department arrives.
• The furnace is trying to get going and make some noise, but it’s not quite there yet. It might be because of clogged burners or low gas pressure making mini explosions as the heat tries in vain for ignition.
• Your furnace is struggling to ignite, which means the flame sensor may be damaged. When starting up, the clicking sounds can also point to an issue with this vital component.

Standard Furnace Inspection And Cleaning

The furnace is often one of the most overlooked appliances in your home. If it’s not working properly, have an inspection or tune-up done to get back on track with this essential piece of equipment! With some problems being less emergency than others that risk health and safety issues like carbon monoxide leaks which can cause unsafe conditions for you as well as those around you, a lot of people either forget or neglect their furnace inspection and cleaning; waiting days may seem tedious but taking care now will benefit everyone involved later down the line.

Some common non-emergency problems in a furnace include: 

• Your house doesn’t get warmer when you raise the thermostat – in most cases, it actually becomes drastically colder because then there’s less heat flowing through those walls or floorboards;
• You keep paying higher and higher energy bills without raising the thermostat or having a significantly hotter house. 
• You can hear your furnace trying to work and there are squeaking or metal sounds, or it cycles on and off. 
• You have not had an inspection in a long time or you have not had one ever.

Why Should I Have A Furnace Inspection And Cleaning?

We will never be tired of repeating it: keeping your appliances in top shape increases efficiency and overall performance. When you need your furnace the most, you must know that reliable service is waiting for you. These top reasons in mind and knowing how often they come up with our seasonal maintenance plan will make all of this peace of mind truly worth having!

Your furnace is a machine that should be well-maintained to keep it running smoothly and efficiently. It can identify worn-out parts before they break, which helps prevent carbon monoxide poisoning from building up in your home’s atmosphere. It also keeps systems running correctly, so you don’t have energy costs inflated by unneeded repairs or replacements due to an emergency situation. It may allow discounts on mechanical part orders placed ahead of the winter season! 

The best piece of advice we can give is that keeping your furnace clean prolongs its life span while allowing cleaner air circulation throughout the entire house. 

How Much Does A Furnace Inspection Cost?

It’s highly recommended that you have an annual inspection done on your furnace to help prevent more costly expenses down the road for emergency repairs. On average, most people pay between $100 and $300 dollars depending upon their location, the time of year (fall/winter), size system & severity of problems being inspected. Some companies may also charge an additional trip fee, so be sure to ask about all associated fees when calling around looking into quotes–you’ll want to find out if they include duct cleaning too.

Furnace Inspection Checklist

The inspection is a rigorous process, and it does not only involve inspecting the furnace itself and identifying problems, which is, of course, a major part of the inspection but not the only one. 

The heating system in your home is an important part of its overall functionality. The inspector must be able to identify any defects or problems with it using normal operating controls and then document their findings for you so that there are no surprises when the time comes.

An inspector must know the different types of residential heating systems to perform a correct inspection. To identify any material defects observed in the system and to explain its operation with his/her customer thoroughly, he or she should be able to discuss all aspects related such as the heating system and method, heating system operation and maintenance, and common problems that may arise. 

Educating our clients is of primary importance to our HVAC contractors at Air Makers. We want you to know everything related to your furnace and how we inspect it. This is why we inspect it in detail and draw conclusions based on our observations. After the furnace inspection and cleaning is completed, we offer our opinions and recommendations in a written report and explain anything that might be troubling you. 

Gas furnaces are notably the most popular choice in furnaces. So, here is a standard gas furnace inspection checklist:

1. Thermostat: Check its position in the house and fill it in your report. 
2. Furnace: Check its position, energy source, and heating method. Check operation and report. Check accessibility of the system. 
3. Furnace category: Check the furnace category. Category I and IV are most often inspected in houses. 
4. Venting: Check the vent exhaust system’s exterior surfaces for signs indicating an issue. This includes possible water corrosion, cracks, or damage on any part from chimney liner to flue Inlet and Exhaust vents. 

Always look at the vent connector pipes for proper support, slope, and termination. Plastic connectors must have an 0-1/4″ (or 12 mm) per foot drop so that condensate can drain back to your furnace. Ensure insulation supports are installed every 4 feet without sagging or dipping to avoid contact with heating elements below freezing temperatures. This could lead to damage over time due to rusting from chemicals used during production and discoloration signs of obstructions near chimney mouths where combustion occurs before entering inside the structure.

1. Protective Barrier: If the furnace is in the garage and it’s possible that someone could park nearby to move their car, then protective barriers must be installed.
2. Lights & Receptacles: The light and electric receptacle should be installed near the furnace for easy access in an emergency.
3. Disconnect & emergency Switch: Installing an electrical service disconnect switch at your furnace can help in case of emergencies. Look out for any brown boxes or covers that might be nearby, as they could conceal this vital piece of hardware near the house’s main entranceway (which would make it easier to access). 
4. Cabinet: It is essential to ensure that the cabinet installation meets all necessary safety standards. Make sure there are no obstructions in your path, and make a note of any clearance requirements for service or combustion around certain areas.
5. Furnace Turn off: To shut off the furnace, use its service switch and remove any cabinet panels. This is not a task for visual-only home inspectors.
6. Blower Door Switch & Control Board: Check the blower fan for free rotation and minimal play at its mounting point. Examine other components, such as belts or mounts that might be defective in some way to cause this type of failure by watching out for dirt accumulation on them too. Make a note of any unusual noises while running your inspection routine.
7. Gas Shut-off Valve, Union, Sediment Trap, and Piping: The gas shut-off valve should be outside of the cabinet and near your furnace. The Union needs to have a flexible connector installed inside it, which you can find six feet away from where that pesky flame CMS would go if we were talking about natural gas instead.
8. Gas Valve: The inlet gas operation should be normal if the furnace were converted from natural gas to Liquefied Propane (LP). A label must exist on this valve, setting it back into place.
9. Inducer Motor: The inducer fan motor and blower assembly of a natural draft furnace can be noisy when operating, but they are energy-efficient. 
10. Pressure Switches: Check the pressure switches and hoses to make sure they’re all in good shape. There may be more than one installed for a two-stage furnace, depending on how it’s set up.
11. Condensate: Make sure you look at how well-maintained these pipes inside are as clogs could cause very costly repairs down the road if not taken care of quickly enough with professional help right away.
12. Burners & Manifold: The manifold is a metal pipe or tube that carries gas from the main valve assembly to the burners. 

Look at your burner and see if it has an in-shot flame pattern, which means they’re Firing.

1. Ignitor & Flame: Look for any damage at the ignitor. Check proper ignitor operation and flame sensor operation. 
2. Air: Check circumstances for combustion air, the air distribution system, the airflow and delta T. 
3. Check sequence of operation: First of all, the thermostat asks for heat, and the inducer motor then turns on. Then the pressure and limit switches run diagnostics, the hot-surface ignitor turns on, and power is sent to the gas valve. After the burners ignite, the flame sensor indicates the flame, which heats the exchanger, and the blower motor fan turns on. Delta T is achieved in the end. 

Furnace Inspection And Cleaning Done Easy – Contact Air Makers!

Make sure you do not forget about your annual furnace inspection and cleaning and enjoy the warmth and coziness of your house the way it’s always meant to be. Our motto at Air Makers is ‘Keep Your Furnace Inspected’. It is not a prohibitive cost, but it will undoubtedly give you your money’s worth. Your furnace will work at its peak, and there will be fewer chances of unforeseen repairs down the line. Get in touch with our HVAC technicians and schedule your furnace inspection and cleaning starting today!