Are you considering saving a few dollars by attempting DIY furnace maintenance? As the top-rated provider of furnace maintenance services in Pooler, GA, Georgia Air Cooling & Heating can help you understand which tasks you can safely complete yourself and which you should leave to the professionals.
The Risks of DIY Maintenance in Pooler
What maintenance tasks can you safely complete for your furnace? Without special training or concern for safety, most homeowners can complete the following without issue:
- Replacing the furnace filter at least every 30 days
- Basic ductwork and vent cleaning
- Checking thermostat settings, replacing batteries, and recalibrating the device
- Checking carbon monoxide levels
- Cleaning burners and removing dust from various furnace components
- Pilot light checks and lighting
If you don’t see your required maintenance task on this list, you shouldn’t attempt it yourself. DIY furnace maintenance can bring several risks to your Pooler home.
Improper Maintenance Can Lead To Furnace Damage
When you try to maintain the more delicate components of your furnace, you may damage them and require expensive repairs. Never try to tighten components, replace worn-out pieces, or attempt flame sensor cleaning without the proper tools and training. Damage to your system can cost hundreds of dollars to fix — significantly more than you pay for maintenance.
You Could Experience an Electrical Shock
All furnaces have electrical components that leave you vulnerable to shocks if you don’t handle them correctly. Even if you shut off your furnace at the circuit breaker, if you mishandle something, you could risk a power surge when you turn your device back on. If you suspect your furnace has loose electrical connections, rely on the professionals.
Poor Maintenance May Cause Dangerous Leaks
Do you have a gas furnace in Pooler? If you damage your gas line during maintenance, you make yourself vulnerable to leaks.
Gas leaks are extremely dangerous. If you have a furnace that runs on natural gas, consider hiring a professional for anything other than air filter replacement or duct cleaning. DIY maintenance on a gas furnace can also create carbon monoxide leaks.
Improper Maintenance Could Lead To Fire Hazards
Manufacturers equip your unit with various safety systems that prevent fire from breaking out during heating. Do you know how to protect these safety features and assess whether they’re working as intended? Even if you perform your maintenance, have a certified technician check the furnace at least once a year to ensure its safety features work.
DIY Work May Mean You’ll Experience Warranty Problems
Most furnace warranties require you to schedule annual maintenance with a qualified technician. If you don’t, you can void your warranty and pay for expensive repairs that it would have otherwise covered. Since you need annual maintenance anyway, why not just rely on a professional for everything besides your monthly filter replacement?
The Benefits of Hiring Competent Professionals
Even with Pooler’s hot and humid climate, you’ll likely need your furnace overnight from October through April. During these months, nightly temperatures can drop uncomfortably low. When you hire professionals for the bulk of your furnace and air conditioner maintenance, you gain several benefits.
Better Long-Term Results
When you prioritize professional help over DIY furnace maintenance, you’ll see your results last long term. You may have enough skill and knowledge to clean your blower fan or recalibrate your thermostat. However, do you know every little trick and fix that can prevent you from performing the same task month after month?
When you hire professionals, a single maintenance check can help your furnace stay in peak condition for an entire year. When you do it yourself, you’ll do the same tasks month after month.
Greater Energy Efficiency
When you maintain your own furnace, you may avoid rising energy bills if you’re meticulous and knowledgeable in your approach. However, wouldn’t you rather have a chance to lower how much you spend heating your home?
When you schedule annual maintenance with a certified technician, you can sometimes lower the monthly heating costs for your Pooler property. Over the entire year, these savings could equal or exceed what you spend on a single maintenance appointment.
Better Use of Resources
How much do you value your time? Do you think you can perform maintenance tasks faster than a trained and experienced HVAC professional? Ask yourself these questions when you’re deciding which maintenance tasks to perform.
Professional maintenance is a better use of your resources. While you may spend four hours learning a maintenance task from YouTube, a professional may complete the same job in just a half hour. Weigh these factors when you’re deciding which DIY maintenance tasks you should perform.
More Meticulous Inspection
Do you know what you should look for when you inspect your furnace? If you’re inspecting belts and other components, you may see something that looks normal but actually indicates a problem. If you want peace of mind knowing you’ve received a meticulous inspection, rely on the experts.
Experience Fewer Repairs
Repairing your furnace costs much more than a professional maintenance appointment. If you overlook something during your inspection or damage your furnace during maintenance, you’ll have to call for repairs. When you prioritize working with a certified technician, you won’t have to worry about paying for expensive fixes.
Enjoy a Longer Furnace Lifespan
When you have a professional maintain your furnace, you can help it last longer. With proper maintenance, furnaces can last 20 years and sometimes more. A new furnace costs several thousand dollars, so you’ll want to avoid paying for this expense while possible.
Overall Cost Savings
From reducing repairs to lowering your energy bills, partnering with a professional helps you save money in several ways. You won’t obtain such savings with DIY furnace maintenance in Pooler. If you like smart investments, you’ll love scheduling work with a dedicated HVAC technician.
Additional Strategies for Prolonging Furnace Life
You can help your furnace last longer with more than just maintenance. The best thing you can do is run your furnace moderately only when you need to stay comfortable. If you can use other methods of staying warm, like another layer of clothing, you’ll reduce the wear and tear on your device.
You should also keep your HVAC vents clean and free of blockages. Don’t put furniture in front of them or allow curtains to cover them. When you block the vents, your furnace works harder and wears out faster.
Changing your air filter can help you avoid a wealth of problems for your furnace, and it’s the easiest maintenance task. You should change your filter at least every 30 days. If you smoke, have pets, or live in a polluted area, it may require you to change it every two or three weeks.
Finally, install a carbon monoxide detector. When your detector alerts you about a carbon monoxide buildup, you’ll know you have a problem and can fix it promptly. More importantly, you protect your family from potentially fatal leaks.
How To Choose the Best Furnace Maintenance Company
If you’re going to invest in professional maintenance in Pooler, you want a company that can produce the best results. How can you choose the best furnace maintenance company?
Research Reviews and Reputation
Looking into reviews can give you an accurate idea of whether you should work with a company. However, look on third-party websites like Yelp and not only on the company’s website. If you notice positive and negative trends, you can assume they accurately portray the company.
You should also ask friends and family you trust for referrals. If they had a good experience with a company, you likely will, too.
Balance Price and Performance
When you want the best benefits, you shouldn’t automatically opt for the lowest price. You also shouldn’t choose the most expensive company. Choose the HVAC contractor that can provide the best service for a price close to the average cost of services in Pooler.
Value Great Service
How can you tell a company has great service? Their reviews and reputation should give you a hint. However, spend time talking with them before you book a service.
Consider the following when you’re interviewing Pooler HVAC companies for furnace maintenance:
- Does the company have fully licensed, certified, and insured technicians?
- Does the company provide honest and transparent written estimates?
- Will you obtain a satisfaction guarantee from the company?
- Can you take advantage of special deals and financing for products and services?
- When you talk with them, are they honest, friendly, and knowledgeable?
- Do they offer same-day or emergency services?
- Will they spend time answering your questions without rushing you?
Schedule Reliable Air Conditioner Maintenance in Pooler Today
Rather than settle for the subpar results of DIY furnace maintenance, contact Georgia Air Cooling & Heating and optimize your benefits. From understanding furnace tune-ups to helping you choose the perfect furnace, we’re full of friendly expertise and quality service. No matter where you live along the stretch of Interstate 95, we’ll save you money in the long term.
To schedule service, contact us today.