Furnace Maintenance
Do you need maintenace work on your furnace? Check out our $50 off maintenace special.
Furnace Maintenance in Port Huron
Providing Furnace Maintenance Services in Port Huron Since 1959
When the weather in Port Huron and Fort Gratiot gets cold, you need a furnace you can rely on. And, if left untouched, next year’s heating season will start with tired parts and a pile of built-up dust. This leads to lowered furnace efficiency and can even shorten the unit’s lifespan. Want to prevent nuisance service calls or early system death? Looking to save on your gas or electric bills? Then, a furnace tune-up in Port Huron is just what the HVAC expert ordered.
When it comes time to start up your furnace, we invite you to give the experts at Vincent's Heating & Plumbing a call. We’ve been serving Port Huron and the surrounding areas for years, since 1959, in fact. This experience gives us a knowledge of the local needs and conditions that others find difficult to match. During a routine furnace maintenance call, our HVAC technician will inspect your system from top to bottom examining it for failing parts, grime, and safety issues.
Reasons to have a maintenance with VHP:
Vincent’s Furnace Maintenance: Prevent breakdowns, lengthen system life, ensure safe operation of gas appliances.
Protects Your Equipment Warranty
Manufacturers always recommend maintenance for furnace systems. Keeping a furnace maintained is the only way to ensure that it continues operating properly. Recently, manufacturers have doubled down and many now require maintenance before they will honor warranties. So whether you have a brand new furnace or a stalwart.
Prevents Breakdowns
Furnace breakdowns are inconvenient and stressful. When your furnace breaks down, you may have to take a day off work or cancel plans in order to get your furnace fixed. And if your system breaks down during peak demand, it may even take a couple days before someone can come out to look at your system. That is why it is important to get a picture of your furnace’s health before breakdowns occur. Then you can take care of issues before they turn into headaches.
Ensures System Safety
Furnaces consume gas and expel exhaust. And they do this right in the middle of your home. When furnaces are set up properly during the installation procedure, they pose no threat to the health and safety of your home. However, as furnaces wear and tear due to age, their settings may need adjustment. VHP tests furnaces on every maintenance to make sure that they are still set at optimal safety levels. Tests we perform include those for carbon monoxide levels, gas leaks, and other mechanical performance checks.
Helps your System Last Longe
Furnaces have many interconnected systems and parts. If one system is not functioning properly, it can put strain on the system and cause damage to additional components. Having your system maintained regularly helps prevent this from happening.
The VHP Maintenance Difference
VHP is committed to delivering a premium experience to you on your next furnace maintenance visit. VHP has invested in technology and training to make sure that your system is taken care of even better than was possible for us even a few years ago.
What our maintenance inspection offers that you can’t get anywhere else:
Certified Combustion Analysts
Our technicians are all outfitted with computerized tools to verify the safety of your system and optimize the efficiency of your furnace. Not only that, but they are all certified in combustion analysis every two years to make sure that their knowledge is up to date.
Complete Mechanical Room Safety
Our technicians are there to look at your furnace. But there could be other issues present in your mechanical room. As a courtesy, our technicians do a visual inspection of the mechanical room to make sure that there are no other potential safety issues in the area.
Performance Optimization
Did you know that furnaces are not set up to run at their peak efficiency out of the box? It is the technician’s responsibility to set them up after an installation is completed. However, for various reasons, furnaces often are left to run without any adjustments. When Vincent’s Heating & Plumbing performs heating maintenance, we make sure to verify that the system is set up properly. Then we will make the necessary adjustments to get your system running the way it should. Even if your furnace was set up properly when it was installed, it may need adjustments due to the system aging.
Sign up for our Enhanced Service Plan and Save Money
If you sign up for our ESP, you will get a discounted rate on your annual maintenance visit plus other benefits like 10% off repair services and extended hours. If you have questions or would like to learn more about the Extended Service Plan, please contact us.
Furnace Maintenance FAQs
What Are Some Signs My Furnace in Port Huron Needs Maintenance?
The signs you need a furnace tune-up are not too dissimilar from the symptoms of a furnace needing repair. Quite often, in fact, what is needed to fix your home’s heating system is part of the yearly maintenance process. If it’s getting close to tune-up time, you’ll want to keep an eye out for:
- Strange noises like banging or clanking
- Increased energy bills
- Out-of-place smells like burning
- You’re past the tune-up date on your sticker
- Your thermostat batteries are old
- Vents and other pieces of ductwork are dusty
- Your home takes forever to warm up
Do I Really Need to Service My Furnace?
Sure, we all know what an ounce of prevention is worth. But coughing up hundreds of dollars for a Port Huron furnace tune-up can feel like a waste. After all, if installed correctly, you expect it to work correctly, and your home’s heating system will just hum right along, keeping you warm and your house cozy.
But your annual heating service isn’t just a sales tactic. It’s an essential part of home maintenance that nets you the following benefits:
- Improved air quality
- A more efficient HVAC system
- A longer-lasting furnace
- Utility savings throughout the years
- Warranty compliance
How Often Should I Change My Air Filters?
The answer to this question depends on several factors. A standard 1-to-2-inch filter should be swapped out four times yearly (at minimum). Larger ones–such as 4-inch filters–can go up to nine months between changes. There are some mitigating factors, however. People with pets or allergies should change their filters more often. This helps prevent a build-up of irritants in the air. The more you run your unit, the quicker dirt will build up. So, even if it hasn’t been that long, eyeballing your filter once a week will help you determine the optimal timing for filter changes in your home.
What’s Wrong with a $49 tune-up?
You’ve probably seen the postcards. A smiling Port Huron HVAC technician holding a tool below an obnoxiously large price sticker. It offers you a furnace tune-up for just under $50. You know you should get this yearly service done, but that’s much lower than Vincent's Heating & Plumbing quoted you.
Well, as they often say, you get what you pay for. These rock-bottom prices are frequently nothing more than a tool to get into your home. The technician may be more of a salesman blowing smoke and jargon. As they’re often paid based on commission, these individuals will do almost anything to make a sale—including condemning a perfectly good system.
If you don’t want a half-hearted tuneup and fear-mongering, it's worth paying a trusted Port Huron HVAC company to do the job. Your wallet will thank you.
Are There Any Furnace Maintenance Steps I Can Handle on My Own?
You’re an active homeowner and relatively handy. You’re curious how much of your Port Huron heating maintenance you can handle independently. While some things require an expert—such as uncovering cracks in the heat exchanger—there are a number of ways you can keep your home’s furnace happy. These DIY furnace service tasks include:
- Cleaning your flame sensor
- Change your thermostat’s batteries
- Test your carbon monoxide detectors
- Using a brush and vacuum to clean your blower cage
- Vacuum dust and debris out of your floor vents
Any other tasks involved in furnace maintenance in Blue Water area should be left to a licensed HVAC professional.
How Often Should I Get a Furnace Tune-Up?
At a minimum, you’ll want to schedule Port Huron heating maintenance annually. The best time to schedule is right before the heating season starts. If you miss that window, doing it late is better than not at all. Consider signing up for VHP’s HVAC maintenance plan to make these calls more convenient.
What Should I Consider When Picking out a Furnace Maintenance Company in Blue Water area?
Many people in Port Huron and Fort Gratiot put a lot of thought into picking a furnace replacement company. However, their requirements for obtaining a yearly tune-up are much lower. Here are a few things to keep an eye out for:
- Fully licensed and insured: Hiring a company without these things can leave you without recourse if something goes wrong. Rest assured Vincent's Heating & Plumbing is both.
- Clear About Services: If your Port Huron HVAC company can’t tell you what’s included in their annual tune-ups, you’ll want to find a different one.
- Reasonable Pricing: If the cost seems too good to be true, it likely is. A good tune-up typically runs $80 or more.
- Safety Checks: Any good furnace maintenance in Fort Gratiot includes a check for gas leaks and carbon monoxide. Ours does.