Whether your furnace is brand-new or a veteran of keeping you warm during Canada’s notorious winter weather, there is no doubt it is working hard right now!
The weather just keeps flip-flopping from cold to colder to coldest and back again, ensuring your hard-working furnace never truly gets a break.
Few appliances are designed to run continually without eventually requiring a tune-up and some minor repairs, even when they are brand-new. The older your system gets, the more TLC it will need to continue operating smoothly. The most obvious benefit to schedule a furnace tune-up is to avoid a system shutdown during the depths of the cold season.
But that isn’t the only benefit you gain. Read on for six less-known perks of scheduling a mid-winter furnace tune-up today.
1. Save as much as 30 percent on heating costs
Thirty percent of savings on heating costs sounds like a lot, and it is! It sounds like even more when you consider that up to half of your annual utility bills can be traced directly back to heating and cooling costs.
Let’s take an example. According to FAO-Ontario, the average Ontario home generates $2,358 in energy costs annually.
Fifty percent of that is $1,179, which represents the cost of heating and cooling your home annually. A 30 percent savings would net you just over $350 in savings annually.
Even deducting the expense of your mid-winter furnace tune-up still leaves you with more than two bills’ worth of savings to spend, invest, or save toward the future.
2. Preserve your appliance warranty at the manufacturer level
If your furnace system is still under warranty with the manufacturer, you may be subject to certain terms in order to keep that warranty valid.
For instance, let’s say your warranty stipulates that you must be able to show proof of annual furnace inspection and tune-ups in order to qualify for reimbursement for certain classes of repairs.
Neglecting to schedule this service—which is easy to forget about in the superbusy times we live in now—could incur out-of-pocket repair costs if the manufacturer rejects your claim.
3. Detect hidden dangers like leaking gas or carbon monoxide
Most homes come equipped with smoke detectors, but do you have a carbon monoxide detector as well? Did you know that in Ontario, CO2 alarms are mandatory?
Unlike gas, which typically contains an additive that smells unpleasant to help you catch gas leaks quickly, carbon monoxide is completely odorless. It is also colourless. And by the time it begins to affect you, you may already be too compromised to think clearly and take action.
A furnace tune-up includes safety checks to be sure your system is free from potentially dangerous gas and carbon monoxide leaks. If you don’t have a carbon monoxide detector, scheduling your furnace tune-up also presents a perfect opportunity to install one for future peace of mind.
4. Correct improper furnace installation issues
If you inherited your current furnace system along with your home from its previous owner, you may not have any idea if your furnace was installed properly or maintained regularly.
The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that improper installation alone can reduce the efficiency of your furnace by 30 percent or more.
Improper installation can also present a daily safety risk and cause unnecessary (and costly) wear and tear on your furnace system. Improperly installed heating systems need more repairs and wear out more quickly.
5. Receive cost-saving recommendations for improved energy efficiency
Have you ever heard of a “ductopus?” This is the nickname HVAC industry professionals give to duct systems that look like they are all tangled up in a knot. Ideally, your duct system should be airtight, streamlined, simple, and insulated.
But many older duct systems don’t match this description in the slightest. Sometimes the cause is property add-ons that require additional ductwork to be added after the fact, or improper installation to begin with. And sometimes the cause is simple wear and tear with “quick fix” patch jobs as a house gets bought and sold and passed from one owner to the next.
Whatever the reason, simple fixes like sealing leaks, adding insulation, and professional air duct cleaning can help boost energy efficiency, cut energy costs, and improve the safety of your HVAC system.
6. Ensure you never find out what it is like to be without heat during a Canadian winter
Not only is it uncomfortable to wait in a freezing house for the HVAC repair technician to arrive, but it can also be dangerous and even deadly.
Shockingly, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that cold weather causes more fatalities by far than hot weather. The risk increases in the very young and the elderly.
It is so easy to think, “Well, that would never happen to me” nowadays. But it does happen to ordinary people every single year, and no one is exempt from the risk. However, a timely furnace tune-up can greatly reduce your personal risk of ever experiencing life-threatening cold temperatures.
Get In Touch
Shipton’s Heating & Cooling emergency repair service is on call for you 24/7, including weekends and holidays—anytime you need us.
We are also here to help ensure you never need us on an emergency basis. Give us a call at 905-549-4616 to schedule your mid-winter furnace tune-up and inspection today.
Also ask us how you can save up to $3,000 on the purchase and installation of a qualifying furnace and air conditioner combo set. This special New Year’s offer is available through February 28, 2018, so don’t delay in reserving your savings!
