Tune Up Your Furnace for the Holidays

The last thing you need during the holidays is heating system problems. With a house full of family and guests, you’ll want your furnace working perfectly to keep everyone comfortable.

Having your furnace professionally tuned up this fall is one of the best holiday gifts that you can give yourself this season. Sears Home Services is ready to visit your home and get you furnace or heat pump ready for cold weather.

What’s Included in the Fall HVAC Tune-Up?

During a Fall HVAC Tune-Up, the Sears Technician will thoroughly check, clean and maintain your heating system. Although some maintenance tasks are universal for all heating systems, tune-ups for gas furnaces significantly differ from the maintenance and checks that technicians perform on heat pumps.

Gas Furnace Maintenance

Here’s what to expect when a Sears Technician visits your home to conduct cleaning and maintenance on a gas furnace.

• Check the thermostat. The tech will check the wiring and proper operation of the thermostat so you won’t have any problems in the dead of winter.
• Replace the air filter. Unless you’ve recently replaced it yourself, the technician will install a new air filter so the vents and heat exchanger get proper air flow.
• Check electrical connections. Loose or broken wires can wreak havoc in your furnace. The problems may not surface right away. Having the wiring checked by a professional each year will help avoid heating system breakdowns in the dead of winter.
• Make sure the system controls and safety circuits work properly. Controls and safety circuits keep your furnace working properly to avoid a house fire or the buildup of dangerous carbon monoxide. Keep your household safe by having the system checked by a professional every year.
• Check and lubricate the blower motor if necessary. Lubricating the blower motor will keep it working smoothly and efficiently. Proper lubrication will also help the blower motor last longer.
• Inspect gas line connections and burner operation. Leaking gas line connections can cause a fire and improper flames can emit carbon monoxide. Having the system checked by a Sears Technician will help keep your home safe.
• Check flue piping. The flue pipe system vents exhaust gas from the burner to the outside of your home to prevent the buildup of carbon monoxide in your home. Having a technician check the exhaust system of the furnace will ensure that the system operates safely.

Keep your home safe and comfortable by having your gas furnace checked every fall.

Heat Pump Maintenance

Heat pump maintenance is just as important as gas furnace maintenance. Even though there are no gas lines and components to check in an electric heat pump, the Sears Technician will need to check all of the electrical components and the sealed system to make sure that you’ll get the heat you need to stay safe and comfortable when cold weather hits the area.

Here’s the procedure that you’ll see a Sears Technician follow when maintaining and cleaning a heat pump:

• Check the thermostat. The technician will typically begin by checking thermostat operation and wiring to make sure that the system control calls for heat in the heating mode.
• Replace the air filter. The tech will install a new air filter if needed so the heat exchanger gets proper air flow.
• Check electrical connections. Electrical connections and relays in a heat pump are crucial to proper heating operation. The technician will look for problems in wiring and contacts that could lead to problems during the winter.
• Lubricate the blower motor if necessary. The blower inside the indoor unit occasionally needs lubrication. The tech will check the blower fan and its motor – lubricating parts if necessary. This will help keep the blower working efficiently all winter long.
• Make sure the system controls and safety circuits work properly. The heat pump system has safety circuits and controls that keep it operating safely and efficiently. The technician will check the operation of controls to ensure that the system works properly and safely.
• Measure air flow through the evaporator. The technician will check the air flow going through the evaporator fins and look for bent or damaged fins that could restrict air flow. Proper air flow through the evaporator is essential for proper heating throughout your home.
• Check the auxiliary heating element. Most of the time, the auxiliary heating element won’t be needed in your home. The technician checks this element to make sure it works properly if and when it gets extremely cold.
• Examine the outside condenser unit. Proper performance of the outside condenser unit and compressor is essential for efficient heat pump operation.

While examining the outside condenser unit, the tech will:

• Check pressures in the sealed system.
• Make sure that the compressor is running properly.
• Check wiring, the condenser fan and the capacitor.
• Lubricate the fan if necessary.
• Wash the condenser fins if necessary.

Having your heat pump professionally checked and maintained each fall will help ensure that it keeps your home comfortable all winter long.

Advantages of Having Sears Home Services Perform Your Fall Heating System Tune-Up

Sears Service Technicians average over 10 years of experience in the field. Our HVAC technicians are highly trained in maintenance and repair of heating and cooling systems. They’re experienced in servicing all major types and brands of HVAC systems including Kenmore, Carrier, Lennox, Bryant, Trane, Goodman and Rheem.

Having your system professionally maintained by Sears allows our experienced and highly-trained technicians to thoroughly examine your furnace or heat pump to identify potential problems that could cause a heating failure during the winter. Our techs will provide clear recommendations to resolve problems and potential failures in your heating system after completing the furnace or heat pump tune-up.

We have thousands of service technicians across the country who are ready to professionally tune up your heating system this fall. Schedule your fall heating system tune-up now and get the best HVAC maintenance service available.

Sears is always here to help you manage all aspects of your home so you can stay safe and comfortable through the holidays.