You have not altered the way you heat your home, yet come winter the bills are on the rise. The furnace appears to be putting in more time and effort of late. One might be inclined to think some maintenance in the fall would be worth it in the end.
Those are the right questions to be asking. For over a decade Bickel Heating & Cooling has been at the service of homeowners and commercial concerns in the Michiana area, making sure they do not have to overpay for their comfort. We can put a number on what a tune-up will save you; call (574) 800-4559 and we will discuss it.
Put simply, a well tuned furnace does not need as much fuel to put out the same amount of heat. In South Bend and environs where a winter is long, that is savings that mounts quickly.
The Cost of an Aging Furnace
It is a machine and like any other it will go out of kilter with age. There is dust accumulation, parts get loose, airflow is impeded. It is a gradual process so one hardly notices it, but the energy bill tells a different story.
A furnace that must exert itself to get the heat around the house will run its cycles longer and burn through more fuel. That is an extra cost each month. A fall tune-up puts the system back in line with how it was when new.
Efficiency Gains from a Tune-Up
Our technicians will put right the things that are sapping efficiency during a fall inspection. We are apt to find and remedy:
- Burners or ignition components left dirty, leading to combustion that is wasteful and incomplete
- An obstructed filter that makes the blower labour by curtailing airflow
- Electrical connections that are loose and render the system unsafe or inefficient
- Blower work that requires adjustment or a good cleaning
- Thermostats not properly calibrated to the setting
- Any worn part on the verge of failure
In so doing we reduce the daily fuel requirements of the furnace and nip in the bud any small issue that could become an expensive breakdown in January.
Avoiding a Midwinter Breakdown
Furnaces have a way of giving up on the coldest of nights because the strain is too much for a weak spot. With a fall tune-up you can identify that in October rather than at 2 a.m. in February.
An emergency call out is invariably pricier than routine work; there is the labour, the part and the premium for having someone come right away. Some forego the tune-up to put money in their pocket and are out of far more in the end. Should the worst come to pass though, we are here 24/7 at (574) 800-4559.
And then there is the matter of air quality
There is more to a tune-up than the bottom line. A clean system means cleaner air. For those with allergies or who are bothered by the dryness of a winter, we can put forward options for humidification, dehumidification or purification. Since we do heating and this kind of thing, it is convenient to take care of it all in one trip.
A Second Opinion
Another contractor may have been round and made a case for a major repair or replacement. Before going down that road we would suggest you have a second opinion. Not many put it in their ads, but we provide them. No pressure, just to see if the recommendation is sound or if there is an easier fix.
We make it easy to proceed with free estimates and financing to spread a larger tab out into something manageable.
Make Plans for a Fall Tune-Up
One does not want to be caught cold when the mercury falls. A furnace in good order is economical and has a longer life. Our people are standing by to assist whether you are in Granger, Plymouth, Mishawaka, Bremen or any part of the Marshall, Elkhart and St. Joseph counties.
To book your tune-up and lower the cost of heating this season, get in touch with Bickel Heating & Cooling at (574) 800-4559.
