what happens during a furnace or boiler tune-up?
the importance of tune-ups
As winter approaches, the office at Weaver Energy starts to get calls from customers to schedule their annual tune-ups for their home heating systems. However, taking the proactive approach of keeping your furnace or boiler in optimal condition is a great practice that prolongs the life and efficiency of your unit and can prevent costly repairs in the future. While most customers believe that early autumn is the best time to have this service completed, there is absolutely no harm in scheduling tune-ups to occur throughout the year.
the consistent, methodical tune-up
All Weaver Energy technicians are trained to provide a uniform and thorough system tune-up, based on our standard operating procedure. Therefore, regardless of which technician arrives to service your unit, you can be confident that they are using a consistent, methodical approach. Unless otherwise noted on your service statement, Weaver Energy technicians will always:
- pull the burner and the replace burner gaskets
- completely vacuum out the system
- check around the coil gasket for any leaks and for water/evidence of water under the unit (boilers only)
- visually inspect the integrity of the combustion chamber
- disassemble and vacuum out the smoke pipe
- clean out the chimney base, checking for evidence of chimney deterioration
- reassemble the smoke pipe, re-cement the chimney rock, and replace any questionable sections of smoke pipe
- check that the draft regulator is level and in good working condition
- replace the burner nozzle and fuel filter
- replace the pump strainer and gasket
- replace the air filter (furnaces only)
- drain the expansion tank (boilers only)
- check relief valve for corrosion and proper drip leg (boilers only)
- perform a combustion test and enter data in Smart Service, leaving a physical copy with the service record at the unit
- check the thermostat operation, replacing the batteries if necessary
- perform an oil tank inspection
- inspect the system for potential future repairs and consult the homeowner on preventative measures, if possible
In addition, any unusual findings are noted directly on the service statement by the technician before the cleaning is completed. A typical furnace or boiler tune-up usually takes about two hours from start to finish. After that, customers can expect to receive a maintenance reminder letter approximately one year after their tune-up in order to stay on a regular schedule of annual maintenance. Heating system tune-ups can be scheduled by existing Weaver Energy customers who reside within Lancaster County, by calling the office during normal business hours at (717) 626-7169. We look forward to serving you!