Furnace Maintenance & Tune-Up in Montana

Why a Fall Tune-Up Matters in Montana

A Montana furnace works harder than a furnace almost anywhere else in the country. It runs for six months or more, through sub-zero nights and weeks of deep cold, and it does it year after year. The parts that fail in January — ignitors, flame sensors, blower motors, capacitors — almost always show warning signs in the fall. A tune-up finds them while the weather is still mild and the repair is cheap, instead of in the middle of a cold snap when every furnace in the state is failing at once.

The best time for a tune-up is fall, before the heating season starts. A furnace that has been tuned up runs more efficiently, breaks down less, and lasts longer.

What a Tune-Up Includes

• Filter check and replacement — a clean filter is the single most important maintenance item on any furnace
• Ignition system check — ignitor or pilot, flame sensor cleaning, and burner inspection
• Heat exchanger inspection — a visual check for cracks or corrosion
• Blower inspection — motor, wheel, and capacitor checked and cleaned
• Thermostat test — calibration and signal check
• Safety controls test — limit switch, pressure switch, and shut-off controls verified
• Carbon monoxide test — on gas furnaces, a combustion and carbon monoxide check
• Venting check — flue and venting inspected for blockages or damage

Signs Your Furnace Needs Attention

• Strange noises — banging, squealing, rattling, or grinding
• Short cycling — turning on and off every few minutes
• Uneven heating — some rooms warm, some rooms cold
• Rising heating bills with no change in the weather
• A yellow burner flame instead of blue (gas furnaces)
• Dust blowing from the vents, or a musty smell when the furnace runs
• The furnace is more than 10 years old and has never been serviced

Any one of these is a reason to schedule a tune-up before winter. All of them together is a reason to call now.

How Often Should a Furnace Be Serviced?

Once a year, in the fall, before the heating season. That is the standard for both gas and electric furnaces. A furnace that is serviced every year lasts longer, runs more efficiently, and fails less often than one that is only fixed when it breaks. And in Montana, where the heating season is long and the cold is serious, the difference between a serviced furnace and a neglected one is the difference between a warm house and a winter emergency.

Related Services

See also: Furnace Safety Inspection, Emergency Furnace Repair, and Furnace Replacement.