For many homeowners, one of the largest monthly expenses they must deal with is their electric bill. And during this time of year when you may be depending on a heating system that’s powered by natural gas for warmth and comfort, you still may have noticed that your electric bill is climbing higher. Why? Because your heating system still uses electricity to operate certain components, including the blower motor.

If you haven’t yet scheduled your furnace’s annual maintenance appointment, prepare your family’s spending budget for higher energy bills. There are many reasons why you should schedule a yearly tune-up for your heating system, but one of the main reasons is to help lower the amount of money you must spend each month to keep the system running.

How will annual furnace maintenance help reduce my energy bills?

If you fail to schedule an annual maintenance tune-up for your home’s furnace, its internal parts are going to be operating in dustier, dirtier conditions. During a tune-up with a professional, skilled, and experienced technician, he or she will carefully inspect and clean the internal components so they can run efficiently all season long. A dirty heating system doesn’t operate as efficiently, and its vital parts may need to work overtime to keep your home warm. This doesn’t just cause extra strain and premature wear and tear on your heating system, but it may also mean that the unit is running more often — thus costing you more on your energy bills.

I scheduled furnace maintenance, but my energy bills are still high. Why?

Even after you’ve scheduled your annual maintenance appointment, you still need to do some routine upkeep on your own to keep your heating system running efficiently — for example, changing your air filter on a monthly basis. You may need to change it more often if you have pets, or individuals in your home who are smokers.

The air filter traps airborne pollutants, dirt, and dust, and prevents these materials from circulating in the air in your home. When you fail to regularly change the filter, warm air from your furnace can’t pass through it and out through the vents as easily. This may leave certain rooms or levels in your home feeling colder than normal, and it can also put extra strain on your heating system’s components. This can also lead to higher energy bills, and sometimes even an untimely and expensive breakdown.

Are there other reasons to get my furnace maintained annually?

Safety

In addition to helping your furnace operate as well as it can throughout the heating season, yearly maintenance can help make your home safer. That’s right! A trained and experienced technician will be able to pinpoint any areas where natural gas or dangerous carbon monoxide (CO) gas may be leaking from your system. He or she can recommend the best course of action to get the issue taken care of immediately.

Increase your system’s lifespan

Additionally, yearly maintenance may help extend the usable life of your heating system. When your system’s vital components are kept clean and free of dirt and dust, they can operate more efficiently, and they won’t need to work overtime to keep your family warm. This means that you may not need to start budgeting for a replacement system as soon as you once thought.

Catch problems early on

The technician may also be able to catch potential problems early, before they result in a total breakdown of your entire system. This will prove to be exceptionally helpful. After all, if you don’t schedule annual maintenance and a potential problem isn’t caught and addressed ahead of time, your furnace may break down and leave you scrambling to locate a trusted repair provider to come to your home to take care of the issue — something that may be easier said than done during the dead of winter!

Need help with furnace maintenance?

Oncourse Home Solutions offers an affordable Heating Maintenance Plan. To see if the plan is available in your area, enter your ZIP code in the box in the upper right corner of the website. All plans available in your area will appear. Still have questions? Click the Click to Chat tab on the right side of the page to ask a knowledgeable customer service agent who will be able to address any questions or concerns you may have.