Pre‑Winter Furnace Tune‑Up Checklist for Fort Collins Homes

In Colorado, winters tend to arrive early and be fairly harsh. As a homeowner, you can’t afford to have a non-operational furnace when the first snowstorm arrives.

By completing a pre-winter tune-up checklist in Fort Collins, you can prevent your furnace from breaking down on one of the coldest days of the year. Besides avoiding potential repairs, your maintenance efforts can result in lower energy bills and safer air quality for your family. 

This list of furnace maintenance in Fort Collins covers all of the important DIY steps you can take as a homeowner. For professional furnace maintenance & tune‑ups, reach out to Balance Point Heating, Cooling & Plumbing for expert assistance. 

Why a Pre-Winter Tune-Up Matters in Fort Collins

By completing your pre-winter furnace tune-up checklist in Fort Collins, you can ensure your system is functioning properly. Colorado often experiences harsh cold snaps that can strain heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. Through your pre-winter furnace maintenance in Fort Collins, you can avoid unnecessary wear, extend your furnace’s lifespan, and boost your efficiency. Additionally, furnace maintenance is often a requirement to maintain your warranty.

More importantly, furnace tune-ups are a necessity for keeping your furnace in optimal working order. A well-maintained furnace is less likely to experience carbon monoxide leaks and other safety-related problems. 

Step-by-Step DIY Furnace Tune-Up Tasks 

To make furnace maintenance in Fort Collins as easy as possible, we’ve compiled a list of DIY furnace tasks homeowners can do. For more extensive HVAC maintenance or furnace repairs, give our experienced technicians a call.

Safety First: Power Off & Safety Checks

Before you tackle any type of furnace maintenance, you should turn off electricity and gas. Then, check your carbon monoxide and smoke detectors using the test buttons on the devices. Ideally, you should replace the batteries every six months to ensure they are functioning properly.

Replace or Clean the Air Filter

Replacing a dirty filter with a clean one can boost energy efficiency by as much as 15%. Dirty filters force the furnace to work harder to reach the same temperature. Besides causing unnecessary wear, this also increases your energy costs. 

A clean filter improves your energy efficiency and boosts your indoor air quality. You should replace your filter at least every three months. During heavy use, it should be changed more frequently.

Inspect the Thermostat

Next, you should see if your thermostat is working properly. To test it, turn on the heating mode. Raise the temperature so that it is higher than your home’s current air temperature. If the thermostat is functioning properly, you should hear the furnace turning on. 

If the thermostat isn’t working properly, you can troubleshoot by replacing the batteries. You can also reset the thermostat or schedule an HVAC appointment if the problem persists.

Clean Burners, Flame Sensor, & Combustion Chamber

To clean the burners, flame sensor, and combustion chamber, you need to start by switching off the power supply and turning the gas valve perpendicular to stop the gas supply from flowing. You should also wait several minutes to ensure any residual gas has dissipated. Then, give the components 30 minutes to reach room temperature.

Next, you need to open the panels and extract the burners. You can then remove soot and clean the burners. With a vacuum, clean the burner ports. Gently clean the flame sensors before reassembling everything. If you see any signs of corrosion or damage, call Balance Point Heating, Cooling & Plumbing for repairs right away.

Whenever you are dealing with burners, flame sensors, and the interior of the furnace, there is some level of risk involved. Because of this, we generally recommend leaving this task to the experts. 

Lubricate Blower & Motor (Where Applicable)

To ensure your furnace is operating at its best, it’s important to lubricate the oil bearings and motor shaft. By lubricating moving parts, you can reduce friction and wear. Over time, this can help prevent repairs and replacements. If you aren’t mechanically inclined, this is another task you can leave to the experts.

Inspect Vents, Flue, Heat Exchanger, & Ductwork

As part of your pre-winter furnace tune-up checklist in Fort Collins, you should also inspect your vents, flue, heat exchanger, and ductwork for signs of problems. There should be no obstructions blocking air flow. You should carefully clean the flue or venting’s outdoor openings.

If there are any leaks in your ductwork, our HVAC technicians have high-tech tools that can diagnose where the leak is occurring. Then, we can quickly repair the source of the problem. Leaky ducts can add hundreds of dollars to your energy bills each year, which is why diagnosing and repairing this issue is so essential.

Reverse Ceiling Fans & Seal Drafts (Bonus Home Comfort Tweaks)

Many homeowners who have ceiling fans forget this important step. During the winter, your ceiling fan has to change direction so that it redistributes warm air. Turn off the ceiling fan and switch it to a clockwise rotation at a low speed. 

For added comfort and energy efficiency, seal gaps around your windows and doors. As a rule, any drafts you feel are a sign of an air leak that needs to be sealed up.

Test Safety Controls, Ignition & Observe a Full Cycle

While your furnace is running, listen to the sound it makes. It should sound smooth and even. Additionally, you should also pay attention to how it cycles and its flame quality. For instance, a yellow or flickering flame indicates incomplete combustion. If you notice any unusual noises, flickering, or odd flame colors, you need to schedule a professional furnace inspection. 

Clean Cabinet & Perimeter

Finally, you need to remove dust that has built up around the furnace. This helps to maintain the unit’s airflow and energy efficiency. 

When To Schedule a Professional Tune-Up 

While this furnace checklist is fairly extensive, some of the tasks on it are more technical than others. As a general rule, you should never perform a furnace maintenance task that you are uncomfortable with. You can always reach out to our team of HVAC experts for professional help with maintaining your system. 

Our Fort Collins HVAC technicians offer multi-point inspections and high-quality results. In general, we recommend that you leave the following tasks to us. 

• Heat exchanger inspections
• Carbon monoxide testing
• Performance diagnostics 
• Gas pressure checks
• Electrical connection examinations
• Gas connection and valve inspections

When in doubt, always leave it to the experts. If you try to perform DIY repairs and maintenance, it can end up voiding your warranty. Additionally, DIY maintenance can result in costly mistakes and missed problems. Because of the electrical, mechanical, and gas components involved, there is also a very real safety risk involved in doing the work on your own.

At Balance Point Heating, Cooling & Plumbing, we offer a full range of furnace maintenance options in Fort Collins. We can handle all of the cleaning and maintenance tasks involved in keeping your furnace fully operational. 

To make your furnace maintenance a little easier to budget for, we offer a special membership plan that includes two complimentary tune-ups each year. Members also receive special discounts on repairs and priority services. 

Additional Pre-Winter Home Prep Tips 

Temperatures in Fort Collins can drop quickly, making a high-quality furnace even more important for local homeowners. Because of this, it’s essential to make sure your home is fully prepared for winter weather. Besides performing routine furnace maintenance throughout the year, we recommend carrying out the following tips to prepare your home. 

• Seal Leaks: While many homeowners don’t realize it, hot air often leaks out around windows and doors. An easy way to stop this from happening is by using caulk around the edges of these areas. This prevents heat from escaping and reduces the furnace load. 
• Insulate Your Home: You can decrease the amount you use your furnace by insulating your home properly. Good insulation prevents heat transfer, so your home stays warm for longer. A higher R-value signals a higher level of insulation.
• Clean Gutters: By cleaning gutters, you can improve drainage and protect your HVAC infrastructure.
• Replace Batteries: To make sure your carbon monoxide and smoke detectors are working properly, you should replace the batteries each fall. 
• Test Detectors: Before the weather changes, don’t forget to test your home’s detectors to make sure they’re working properly. 
• Clean Humidifiers: In the winter, indoor air can get especially dry. One way to mitigate this problem is with the installation of a humidifier. As part of your home maintenance, make sure your humidifier is clean and ready for winter.
• Remove Debris: Periodically, you should check for any dirt and debris around your furnace. There should never be any flammable materials or debris in this area.

If you notice holes in your flue, unusual noises, or other signs of a problem, reach out to Balance Point Heating, Cooling & Plumbing for a thorough inspection. Our team can quickly diagnose the source of the problem so that your loved ones can stay warm and comfortable throughout the cold season.

FAQs About Furnace Tune-Up in Fort Collins

Over the years, we’ve encountered a few frequently asked questions from local homeowners in Fort Collins. 

How often should I get a professional tune‑up?

We strongly recommend getting your furnace tune-up in the fall before harsh winter weather arrives. In Fort Collins, fall tune-ups are standard because of how intense winter weather is.

In between tune-ups, you can support your furnace’s health and longevity by making sure to change the air filter. You can also vacuum any dust that gathers around the vents or in the furnace interior.

Can I still run the furnace without changing the filter?

Yes, you can technically run your furnace without changing the filter. However, we strongly urge against this. Over time, the filter will only become dirtier. A clogged filter forces the furnace to work harder to heat your home, increasing the amount of wear on the HVAC system. Eventually, this can cause more frequent repairs and breakdowns. 

Additionally, the added effort means that your furnace has to use more energy to heat your home, so you’ll pay more in energy costs. It can also negatively impact your air quality, which can lead to respiratory symptoms for allergy and asthma sufferers.

What if my thermostat doesn’t respond?

As part of your furnace maintenance in Fort Collins, it’s a good idea to check your thermostat to see if it is functioning properly. If the thermostat isn’t responding or your home’s temperature doesn’t respond to thermostat changes, you may be dealing with a thermostat failure or a wiring issue.

You can try troubleshooting by replacing the batteries, resetting the thermostat, or manually overriding the non-responsive thermostat. If nothing seems to make a difference, you need to call our local HVAC experts for help.

Are carbon monoxide checks necessary each year?

Absolutely! Your family’s safety relies on your carbon monoxide detectors. If a heat exchanger develops stress cracks or becomes corroded, it can end up leaking without any type of advance warning. Your carbon monoxide detector is the main thing keeping your family safe from gas leaks, so you need to be completely confident it’s in working order.

Most professionals actually recommend testing your carbon monoxide detector every month. You can test it by pressing the test button and seeing if it makes a noise. Your user manual will also tell you what specific numbers of beeps mean. To keep your detector working, you should dust the unit. 

Ideally, you should replace the batteries once per year in most circumstances. If you have a sealed-lithium battery model, you only have to replace it every 7 to 10 years. The entire CO detector should be replaced every five to seven years.

How long does a professional tune-up take?

When we show up for your scheduled tune-up, we work quickly to clean, inspect, and test your HVAC system. Besides looking for potential problems, we’ll also conduct a full safety verification. In general, a professional tune-up takes us just 60 to 90 minutes to complete.

Prepare Your Fort Collins Home for Wintertime

Ready to winter-proof your Fort Collins home’s comfort and safety? You can get started with the help of your pre-winter furnace tune-up checklist in Fort Collins. Afterward, contact Balance Point Heating, Cooling & Plumbing today to schedule your professional furnace tune-up. With same-day service, upfront pricing, and a maintenance plan offering peace of mind, we’ll keep your furnace running smoothly and safely all season. 

Book now and stay cozy!