Hugh Cairns: Furnace service costs

Furnace service cost

Having your furnace serviced is an opportunity to get to know your furnace technician and your furnace. A good technician will give you the low down on the state of affairs with your equipment. There really is little cost to furnace maintenance; it’s more of an investment in your appliance. Besides enjoying optimum efficiency as a result of having your furnace serviced, expect to enjoy longer reliable service life.

A regular furnace service call by a qualified HVAC technician usually falls in the $90 to $120 range. For that, your technician should thoroughly clean and inspect your furnace as well as evaluate and adjust its efficiency. A routine service call usually takes about an hour. As you can see, a furnace service is not expensive and doesn’t take too long.

There is great value in these low cost evaluations. If you take a hard look at it, one wonders why a technician will come all the way to your house and perform all of this work economically. The answer is that it gives them an introduction to their company and an opportunity to place a sticker on your equipment. In the event that you have a breakdown, they’re hoping that you will call them first.

In the event that the technician finds a repairable item during your furnace service, it’s best to know now rather than during a time when you have a high demand for heat. Correcting a problem immediately can be better than when it’s too late and when the problem gets worse and costs much more. In some cases it might be best to leave the maintenance of your furnace to a yearly service plan.

Photo: Contributed - (Photo: Hugh Cairns)

If you decide that a furnace service plan is for you, take the time to understand what's covered to save disappointment. Never feel pressured to sign something right away.

Furnace service plans

Most HVAC specialists offer basic service packages that cover some of the cost of repairs and the cost of regular inspections. There is always fine print with all service contracts, read the fine print and ask questions. Not all service plans are the same.

Remember, annual maintenance is recommended by manufacturers, however experts say a furnace that is less than 10 years old doesn’t need annual maintenance. In my books, a furnace can stop working at any time, so if your furnace is under 10 years or still under warranty, get to know what it the warranty offer and compare it to a service plan. Newer high efficiency furnaces need service every year. They produce condensation and that drainage system needs to be inspected and cleaned.

Furnace service plans generally provide for an annual diagnostic and maintenance check whether they render findings or not. In some cases the service is offered in installments and being on a plan means the basic service is often offered cheaper.

If you decide that a furnace service plan is for you, take the time to understand what’s covered to save disappointment. Never feel pressured to sign something right away.

Tips to keep your furnace operating at its best:

• Change your furnace filter often.
• Have your furnace maintained yearly before each heating season.
• Understand your furnace warranty, what it covers and for how long.
• Don’t feel pressured into entering a service cost if it doesn’t make sense.
• Have the name handy of a reliable expert furnace contractor should you need one.
• Call the experts when you experience a furnace malfunction.  Don’t try to fix it yourself.

For more information on furnace servicing click here.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.