Another change of seasons is on the way: Air-conditioning is giving way to heating.
And, just ahead of the first blustery howls of autumn, Cedar Valley furnace technicians are firing up their operations for the first wave of annual fall service calls.
“As soon as the weather turns cool enough to check furnaces, we can do it,” said Mike Fereday, president of Mike Fereday Heating and Air Conditioning in Waterloo.
Like the seasonal swapping of old batteries for new in smoke alarms twice a year, regular checks on furnaces are a must for safety’s sake, said Dan Knipp, president of Aire Serv of the Cedar Valley in Cedar Falls.
“The fall is probably one of the more important things you can do with safety, especially if you have gas appliance,” he said.
Heating/cooling service providers typically offer plans that include seasonal inspections, which include checks of ducts, ignition systems, thermostats, blowers and other key parts.
“If you don’t have a carbon-monoxide alarm in your house, we always recommend that you get one,” Knipp said. “And, we’re always going to recommend a new filter.”
It’s not just about safety, Fereday said.
“I think it’s critical, both for utility cost savings and comfort and convenience, to avoid major problems,” he said. “Annual maintenance will prevent major breakdowns. That’s the purpose of the planned service program. People that neglect maintenance take a chance on safety, major failures and higher utility costs.”
Technicians recommend a check on any furnace that is at least 5 years old.
“With utility rates the way they are, it can pay for itself in a couple of months,” said John Thomas, service manager with Young Plumbing & Heating Co. in Waterloo. “If burners are clogged and sooted up or your thermostat is out of calibration, it could mean a 20 percent difference, because you’re getting incomplete combustion.”
Older heating systems will require even closer scrutiny, Thomas said.
“Obviously, the older the system, the more important it is, just from the safety standpoint,” Thomas said.
Knipp agreed.
“Some older furnaces have what we call a ‘gravity-type’ vent, and we want to make sure the flue pipes are clear,” he said. “After they have sat all summer, sometimes they can get a bird’s nest in them or some kind of insects that may get in there.”
Eighty-degree daytime temperatures have hung on well into September, but that hasn’t stopped homeowners from putting in calls for furnace checkups, Thomas said.
“We’re starting to get those calls now,” he said. ” I can’t believe we’re even thinking about it already, but with the cooler nights, people will start thinking about it and call on a regular basis through December, basically.”
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