If you’ve been using your furnace since the beginning of fall and still haven’t had a maintenance check, you might be thinking that you’re off the hook. We don’t blame you—if you’ve already made it to winter, why not just take your chances and see if you can make it through to spring?
Of course, we’re only asking that rhetorically. Neglecting your heating maintenance is never something that we would condone for homeowners! Not only is it terribly inefficient for your system, but it will also introduce the risk of some serious danger to your home and your family. We’ll explain in more depth down below.
Gas Furnaces Are Especially Dangerous When Not Maintained
The fact of the matter is that when you bring heat and natural gas together, there will always be an inherent risk. Furnace technology has advanced to a point that these incidences have become rare, but that’s only thanks to diligent maintenance and repairs from trained professionals.
If you allow your furnace to fall into disrepair, you will invite the risk of:
Carbon Monoxide Leaks: Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless and highly poisonous gas that is produced when the natural gas fails to burn completely. A properly working furnace will vent the carbon monoxide outside of the home. Otherwise, it can end up leaking into the home and endanger your family. Regardless of whether or not you’re getting regular maintenance, it’s always advised to have a working carbon monoxide detector installed in your home.
Gas Leaks: Natural gas is normally odorless, too, but the gas companies will add a harmless chemical to give it the distinct odor of rotten eggs. If you detect that smell around your furnace or in your home, it’s time to evacuate the home and follow emergency procedures. Gas leaks in furnaces often occur due to problems with the gas valves or from cracks in the heat exchanger.
House Fires: It’s scary to think about, but the truth is that a furnace in disrepair can cause a house fire. The main reason is usually due to furnace flame rollout. This happens when there isn’t enough oxygen supplied to the furnace—the flames will “roll out” of the furnace to try and find oxygen. On top of maintenance, other ways to help prevent this disaster is by having your air filter changed regularly. You should also have the flue checked for any obstructions like birds’ nests and leaves.
Inefficiencies and Repair Costs
The other reason we suggest having regular maintenance and HVAC services in Corona, CA is because it can do a load of good in keeping your expenses low.
Reduced Efficiency: Whenever your system is forced to run at less-than-optimal performance, it will have to run longer and harder to keep up with your thermostat’s demands. That leads to gradual increases in your monthly heating bill.
More Repairs: When your furnace works harder than necessary, that leads to parts breaking down earlier than anticipated. Depending on what the issue is, the cost of a repair can be several times more expensive than a simple maintenance check.