28 NOVEMBER 10 - NOVEMBER 16, 2017 BROOKLYN MEDIA GROUP
It's time: Signs your heating system needs a tune-up
Temperatures are falling, pumpkin spice
everything has reappeared and stores have
already put out holiday displays–all signs
that winter is either on the way, or already here,
depending on where you live. If you haven't already
had your heating system tuned up, now is the time.
Neglect is a top cause of heating system inefficiency
and failure, according to ENERGYSTAR.gov.
Proper maintenance can help ensure your system
works as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible
throughout the winter.
Failing to care for your heating system now could
leave you without heat or with hefty emergency
repair bills if the system breaks down during very
cold weather.
A tune-up is an inexpensive way to ensure heating
equipment is operating properly, and provides
peace of mind that no potentially harmful blockage
exists in a flue or exhaust vent.
While it's best to service a heating system before
the cold weather arrives, it's also never too late to
perform routine maintenance.
According to the home repair experts at
HomeServe USA, a typical professional heating
system tune-up will include:
* Inspect safety features and controls;
* Check thermostats (including adjustment if
needed);
* Inspect burners (with adjustments if necessary);
* Check and clean the pilot light;
* Check and clean any gauges;
* Flush low-water cutoff;
* Inspect filters, belts, oil motors, pumps and condensate
line (if applicable);
* Check the flue pipe and chimney draft;
* Inspect and clean the blower assembly.
A thorough tune-up before the heating season
starts can help reduce the risk of a problem in the
dead of winter, but you should still be aware of your
system's performance.
Symptoms that may warrant having a professional
check the system include:
* The system takes a long time to warm the house
after the furnace comes on.
* You hear unusual noises when the furnace turns
on.
* You've noticed an unusual amount of dust coming
from heating vents.
* The system cycles constantly.
* The burner flame is yellow or flickering. The
flame should be blue in natural gas furnaces; a yellow
flame means the unit is not burning efficiently and
may even be producing harmful carbon monoxide.
* You notice your heating bills have increased
more than you would reasonably expect given the
temperature outside.
* You experience excessive moisture building up
on windows, walls and other cold surfaces.
* You find visual evidence, such as streaks of soot
around the furnace, rusting on flue pipes or pipe
connections or the vent pipe visible from outside the
home, or water leaking from the base of the chimney,
vent or flue pipe.
If you act quickly at the first sign of a problem,
you may be able to avoid a costly and potentially
dangerous failure of your heating system. For more
information about why you should schedule a tuneup,
visit www.nationaltuneupday.com.
HomeServe offers home heating protection plans,
including ones that cover tune-ups. A 24-hour repair
hotline ensures plan holders can be connected with
local, licensed and insured technicians 365 days a
year. Visit www.HomeServeUSA.com to learn more.
(BPT)