Heating maintenance is crucial for prolonging the life of your heating system, prevent breakdowns, ensure safe and healthy indoor-air quality, and to save money on your utility bills. Whether you have a furnace or a boiler, your HVAC contractor will utilize the following checklists, and more, to maximize your heating-system efficiency.
Furnace & boiler maintenance
Your HVAC technician will perform the following tasks on both systems:
- Check the integrity of the vent pipe and chimney. Venting systems deteriorate over time. If there is a problem, chimney repairs are expensive and you may wish to consider an upgrade to a high-efficiency system that doesn’t use existing chimney. The HVAC pro should perform a combustion-efficiency test.
- Check the heat exchanger for cracks. A faulty furnace heat exchanger poses the risk of leaking carbon monoxide (CO) into your indoor air, which can cause sickness or death. Leaky heat exchangers on boilers are easy to spot since they only leak water.
- Make adjustments to controls to optimize energy efficiency and comfort.
Forced-air systems:
- Inspects for cracks in combustion chamber.
- Tests for traces of CO, and makes appropriate repairs if needed.
- Checks blower speed and air-supply temperature; adjusts as needed.
- Cleans and lubricates blower.
- Cleans soot, dirt and/or corrosion from the system.
- Checks color and characteristics of flame and fuel input.
- Inspects plenum and duct trunk connection.
Hot-water systems:
- Tests the pressure-relief valve.
- Tests the high-limit control.
- Checks the pressure tank to ensure it isn’t filled with water.
- Inspects and cleans the heat exchanger.
Steam systems:
- Removes sediment buildup by partially draining the boiler, which improves function and efficiency.
- Removes sediment buildup from the float chamber by draining it. This prevents sediment clogs at the low-water cutoff control.
- Tests the high-limit safety control and low-water cutoff safety control.
- Treat the boiler with chemicals to inhibit corrosion and deposits.
- Inspects and cleans the heat exchanger.
Another important check to improve heating-system energy efficiency, and your indoor-air quality, is to check your air filter monthly during the heating months.
For more information about heating maintenance, contact Aladdin Heating & Cooling today. Since 1945, we’ve provided expert advice, service, and installation to homeowners in Southeast Michigan.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about heating maintenance and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
Aladdin Heating services Novi, Farmington, Farmington Hills, Southfield, Oak Park, Ferndale, Beverly Hills, Berkley, Royal Oak, Birmingham, Bloomfield Twp., Bloomfield Hills, West Bloomfield, Madison Heights, Clawson, Sterling Heights, Warren, Troy, St. Clair Shores, Grosse Pointe, Grosse Pointe Woods, Grosse Pointe Farms, Grosse Pointe Park, Detroit, Utica, Shelby Twp., Rochester, Rochester Hills, Auburn Hills, Lake Orion, Oxford, and Clarkston.
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