When we talk about the importance of scheduling annual maintenance for a gas furnace, we always stress safety. Natural gas furnaces aren’t inherently dangerous, otherwise they would never be allowed in so many homes. But they do have the potential to leak toxic fumes and create combustion hazards if they’re neglected. The regular inspections done during maintenance are critical in spotting potential safety worries, and the tune-ups help to slow down the aging that can also make a gas furnace dangerous.
But you have an electric furnace, which doesn’t have the same safety concerns. In fact, you may prefer having an electric furnace because you’re worried about using natural gas in your house. Does this mean that electric furnace maintenance isn’t as important or doesn’t need to be done as often? Not at all! Electric furnaces require annual maintenance, the same as gas furnaces. The maintenance inspections and tune-up steps are different, but still essential.
Electric furnaces can become safety hazards as well
Just because an electric furnace doesn’t combust natural gas or create any exhaust doesn’t mean it’s 100% safe. It’s less likely to become hazardous, but there are issues that maintenance can help you avoid. Electric furnaces use an immense amount of electricity. In fact, the only appliance in a home that uses more per hour is an electric water heater. Any powerful electrical device like this can lead to electrical fire hazards, such as from a malfunctioning control board or an overloaded circuit. Maintenance will see you have an electric furnace that works as safely as you want it to.
Electric furnaces can become more expensive to run without maintenance
It can cost plenty each winter to run an electric furnace, and you wouldn’t want that cost to rise. But that’s what will probably happen if the system isn’t maintained each year. Problems with dust covering the heating elements, loose connections, a wearing down blower motor … all of these can lead to a furnace that runs for longer to do its job, draining more power.
Electric furnaces need maintenance to extend their service lives
An electric furnace undergoes a great deal of stress as it continually heats up and then cools down the coils inside it that warm the air. This is only one of several effects of aging on a furnace that can lead to it needing an early replacement. Maintenance eases these effects and helps the furnace reach its full potential—likely more than twenty years, which is more than gas furnaces can usually reach.
Electric furnaces need maintenance to keep their warranties valid
This same rule applies to gas furnaces: the equipment warranty that comes with an electric furnace may be voided if it hasn’t received regular maintenance. You don’t want to lose this important consumer protection, so always stay current with heating maintenance.
If you’re ready to maintain your furnace in the fall (and now is the best time to have it done), enroll in our Crown Comfort Club and get on the schedule!
Reach out to Crown Group Ohio—Your Comfort Experts Since 1963.