Strait Talk on Tune-Ups

One of our main services offered and performed is the annual heating system "tune-up" or maintenance. Every year there are at least a few things we hear from people that are not fully accurate regarding maintenance of your heating equipment. Here are a few of the more common questions asked of us.

Q: Do I need maintenance every year, or should I do it every 2 or 3 years?

A: Yes! Maintenance is recommended every year for your heating system. Skipping a year of boiler or furnace (or heat pump) maintenance is like skipping an oil change on your car. Sure, your car will probably keep running but you could be causing unnecessary wear to your equipment. In addition, there are many problems that can be detected ahead of time, allowing you to avoid a costly service call for repairs.

Q: I have gas heat, I was told theres no maintenance needed for a gas furnace or boiler. Is that true?

A: No! Gas furnaces and boilers require maintenance like any other heating system. There is a lot to check on a gas system including burn rate, burner tube condition, igniter strength, pilot if applicable, and maybe MOST important; venting. Proper venting can be crucial to your health & safety. Obstructions in venting or holes in exhaust flus can allow for elevated levels of carbon monoxide in your home.

Q: My old furnace was from the 1950's and I don't remember ever having it cleaned or tuned. Why do I need it now on my newer system?

A: Whether gas or oil, modern heating systems are designed to run much more efficiently than their ancestors. With that said, these systems are designed to be maintained. From air filtration to burner assemblies, your furnace or boiler needs everything working properly to provide the safest and most energy efficient heating to your home.

Q: Do I need to wait for my maintenance to be done before I start using my heat?

A: No. As long as you perform your maintenance at some point throughout the heating season, and again the following year, you are doing exactly what you should be doing to maintain your equipment. In some cases, efficiency readings are more accurate after a system has run for some time. If you should encounter a concern before your scheduled maintenance, simply call us and we'll come check it out.

Every year we perform hundreds of emergency service calls for broken down equipment in our area. And every year we perform hundreds of heating system tune ups in the Valley. One thing I know for sure, the overwhelming majority of the emergency service calls we respond to are people who don't perform routine maintenance! Our P.A.C.T customers have the fewest emergency service calls of all the calls we get during the winter.

Please take a moment to look at the P.A.C.T. (Pioneer's Annual Cleaning & Tune-up) portion of our web-site. This program is offered because we know how important maintenance is, and we know how important it is to have someone to call if something does break down. Our P.A.C.T offers peace of mind and the best efficiency, all at an affordable price.

Enjoy this beautiful Fall!

Regards,

Tim