4 Safety Reasons Your Heater Should be Checked Every Year

When summer fades away and chilly weather conditions set in, your attention may naturally turn to the task of preparing your home for winter. Between snow and ice, freezing temperatures and gusty winds, winter weather can take a beating on your home. Your furnace provides you with an effective way to maintain a warm, healthy indoor environment regardless of how nasty the weather conditions are outside. Many homeowners overlook the importance of scheduling annual heater maintenance as part of their winter preparations. Regular maintenance may help your heater to function more energy efficiently, and this can have a beneficial impact on your budget. In addition, heater maintenance may improve your health and safety at home in the months ahead in several critical ways. These are four safety reasons why you should schedule maintenance service for your furnace as soon as possible.

Your heating system circulates numerous allergens throughout your home each time it turns on. These allergens may accumulate over time on the equipment’s components and in air ducts. Therefore, unless you take steps to remove these allergens, your indoor air quality will gradually decline. Allergens can do much more than cause sniffles and a sore throat. Those who suffer from respiratory conditions, such as asthma, may experience more distress as a result of allergens. Annual heater maintenance is a convenient and effective way to clean your system, and air ducts may also be cleaned at this time.

A damaged heater may result in high levels of carbon monoxide filtering through the home. Carbon monoxide can cause many unpleasant symptoms at low levels, such as nausea, headaches and more. Prolonged exposure or exposure to high levels of carbon monoxide can be fatal. Because carbon monoxide is a clear, odorless gas, it may be impossible for you to determine if this gas is present in your home without special detection equipment. During regular furnace maintenance, the system will be inspected for carbon monoxide leaks.

Another serious health and safety concern associated with the use of your home’s heating equipment is a gas leak or explosion. Even a minor gas leak in your furnace can result in tremendous property damage or even a total loss if the gas ignites. While some people may smell gas from this type of leak, others may not notice any signs until an explosion occurs. This type of risk can have fatal consequences, and it may be prevented through a regular heating system maintenance service.

Furnace maintenance is an effective and easy way to ensure that your system is in great condition before you turn it on for the first time each year. An HVAC technician will inspect the equipment to identify signs of wear and tear that could be problematic during the winter when you are relying heavily on the equipment for essential warmth. Any aging parts can be replaced to prevent a breakdown. If your furnace does break, it may be many long hours or even a few days before a technician can reach your home. This is because HVAC repair services are in high demand on the coldest days of the year. During this time, your home’s temperature may plummet, and your family will be exposed to very cold conditions that ultimately could impact their health.

Annual heating system maintenance is an easy step to take to reduce all of these health and safety risks throughout the winter. You simply schedule service with a reputable HVAC company during the fall before you turn your system on for the first time. The service can usually be completed at a time that works well for your schedule, and it may take less than an hour to complete in many cases. If you have already started using your furnace, remember that it is better to schedule maintenance now than to skip this crucial service altogether.