When was the last time you changed or cleaned your furnace filter? Failing to replace or clean the filter regularly can be costly! Dust and dirt can work their way into the blower and coil assemblies, reducing the furnace's operating efficiency and eventually causing damage to the motor. Heating professionals say simple dust and dirt are the cause of almost half of their service calls; most manufacturers recommend changing or cleaning filters at least every other month. An annual service checkup by a heating professional is usually a good idea. The technician will check the flues and temperature settings, examine the heat exchanger for cracks, and check the safety mechanisms on natural gas units. A $50-100 annual tune-up can reduce your heating unit's operating cost by three to four percent. Oil burning equipment is in need of regular maintenance, far more so than gas burning equipment. Oil burners flames tend to be dirtier than gas burners and combustion chambers in oil-fired equipment can rapidly build up so much debris that draft can be significantly reduced, resulting in a spillage of combustion products into the home. Note that oil-burning boilers are supposed to be cleaned every year at the interior, but only rarely is this done. Most boiler service technicians appear only to change the burner nozzle regularly. Allowing debris to build up on the interior of the boiler can result in a loss of up to 10% of fuel efficiency. What to Expect

• During your annual fall check, your technician should:
• Look at the burner and pilot assemblies
• Check the heat exchanger for cracks
• Look at the pilot thermocouple
• Examine the filter
• Check vent piping
• Test gas piping for leaks
• Test the electronic ignition
• Test the fan
• Adjust the burner for efficiency
• Test the limit switch
• Measure the manifold gas pressure
• Measure the temperature rise
• Check for carbon monoxide
• Set the heat anticipator
• Check belt/tension
• Examine the draft diverter and lubricate the fan motor