Will a Furnace Tune-Up Lower Heating Bills? Indianapolis

Most Indianapolis homeowners experience lower heating bills when they get seasonal furnace tune-ups. Tune-ups help to keep your furnace working without struggling and actually running more efficiently. That means less wear and tear because it’s not burning out just to achieve the thermostat setting. However, the potential bump in savings varies based on your furnace’s age and condition.

Need some encouragement to schedule fall furnace maintenance before the heating season begins? Here’s what to expect for how a furnace tune-up can lower your heating bills

How Does a Tune-Up Actually Improve Furnace Efficiency?

Cleaning your furnace improves efficiency by removing dirt, clogs, and degradation to your unit. Your furnace is the same as any other piece of machinery. It needs cleaning and adjustments to be able to maintain optimal performance. In fact, your furnace is a little bit like your car in this way.

Yes, most furnaces will continue to perform even when suffering from dirty, clogged components and degrading parts. However, the output will be the result of extreme strain that causes your furnace to work much harder than it should just to produce the same amount of heat as a well-maintained furnace. That excess work is reflected in higher energy bills. You’re essentially paying for excessive effort to get the same heat.

In addition to causing higher energy bills, the added strain of running inefficiently can also cause your furnace to break down prematurely. The average homeowner might lose anywhere from three to 10 years of a furnace’s potential lifespan because of lack of routine maintenance.

During a routine furnace tune-up, an HVAC technician conducts a cleaning and inspection of the furnace. This includes cleaning components, adjusting airflow, and tuning combustion. They can also flag any struggling or failing components that need to be replaced. This ensures the furnace can run throughout the entire heating season without having to work harder to produce the same heat.

Which Parts of a Tune-Up Affect Energy Use Most?

Multiple parts of a tune-up can impact the energy use of a furnace, specifically the burners, filters, blades, and lubrication. A furnace tune-up is holistic. Every step in the tune-up process helps to keep your furnace’s parts and components working together as efficiently as possible. Any issues that cause short cycling or poor airflow are going to cause your furnace to overcompensate. That’s why you may notice your HVAC technician spending a lot of time meticulously cleaning certain parts.

Burners get a lot of attention during tune-ups. When burners are dirtied by soot and dust, they block gas flow. Cleaning them up can allow your furnace to work at optimal capacity by producing the highest output from your fuel source.

HVAC technicians also give a lot of attention to clogged filters and dusty fan blades. Clogged filters can prevent airflow and cause your furnace to overheat or run in long cycles that waste energy. The same goes for dusty fan blades.

Lubrication is also another important portion of a furnace tune-up. “Stuck” components in your furnace can create friction that forces your furnace’s motor to work harder. Lubrication can help to loosen up parts and take pressure off your motor.

How Much Could You Realistically Expect to Save?

Average furnace maintenance energy savings can be 15% for most homeowners. How much you’ll save can depend on things like the initial efficiency rating of your furnace and your furnace’s maintenance history. While regular tune-ups can help a furnace to reach its maximum efficiency potential, it can be harder to get to 15% savings if a furnace has been neglected.

What Won’t a Furnace Tune-Up Fix?

A furnace efficiency tune-up can get your furnace ready to run as efficiently as possible for the upcoming heating season. A visit from an HVAC technician can also help you avoid any surprises once you’ve started running your furnace consistently for the season. However, a tune-up isn’t always enough to address underlying issues that are affecting your furnace’s performance. Your furnace isn’t the only thing to blame for mysterious high energy bills.

The environment around your furnace also impacts its performance and efficiency. For example, tuning up your furnace won’t be enough to compensate for leaky ducts in your home that are preventing warmed air from reaching specific rooms or areas. In addition, your home’s poor insulation or drafty windows and doors can cancel out even the most efficient, properly tuned-up furnace.

If you’re still experiencing high energy bills or a struggle to keep consistent temperatures in your home after confirming that your furnace is in great shape, it may be time to investigate other factors that are making your home inefficient. A full in-home energy audit can be great for this. During this audit, a licensed HVAC professional can inspect your home’s insulation, conduct a blower test to identify where air is being pulled out of your home, and much more.

When Should You Schedule a Tune-Up to Start Saving?

If you want a lower heating bill in Indianapolis, don’t skip this year’s annual pre-winter furnace tune-up. The best time of year to have your furnace checked in Indianapolis is early fall. By booking between September and early November, you can get the furnace inspected and serviced before the first cold stretch that will put it to the test. Plus, booking your furnace efficiency tune-up early means you’ll have more flexibility for appointments before demand picks up in the later part of fall.

HomeSense offers easy-to-book, pressure-free furnace tune-ups in Indianapolis. To learn more about how a furnace tune-up can lower heating bills or to join our preventative maintenance membership, just call 317-203-8149 or book online today.