Furnace Questions

[SkyRider]

A couple of furnace questions.

1) I have a 5 year old high efficiency furnace. Does it need annual cleaning and checkup? I am think that once every 3 years should be fine. Also, does $100 for cleaning and checkup sound like a fair price?

2) My furnace has a built-in humidifier. I changed the pad. I noticed that there is a little plastic tube at the top of the pad that is suppose to feed water into the pad but the tube didn't have any water when I disconnected it to change the pad. How do I know if the humidifier is working and that water is being fed into the pad?

 

[Petzel]

$100 sounds very reasonable for a cleaning and check up. Ask them to check on the humidifier when they check the furnace.

 

[burgerbob]

Do it for a hundred if the company is known.

 

[simon482]

it sounds stupid but most people forget. change the filter every year before you start using it for the year. i think it is 6$ or something from any hardware store or walmart.

 

[Czech-mate]

1) annual cleaning and checkup is a better idea than 3 years especially if you live in a dusty area. $100 is fair. do you change the filters monthly?

2) there should be a "test" mode on the humidifier (usually need to turn dial all the way counter clockwise: http://www.bananasentertainment.com/eformat/controller.jpg). i believe you'll only know if the solenoid is opening up or not and may not necessarily see water coming out of the tube.

 

[SkyRider]

Thanks. I called Direct Energy and they have a "Furnace Protection" plan for $7.99 a month plus HST, which includes annual cleaning and checkup.

 

[Art Mann]

Smart move, SkyRider. Sounds like your "Furnace Protection" plan not only saves you $4 bucks on the annual cleaning fee but also offers other benefits. If the ventilator motor or blower fan become clogged with dust, it will make them run harder and be prone to break down.

 

[Moraff]

it sounds stupid but most people forget. change the filter every year before you start using it for the year. i think it is 6$ or something from any hardware store or walmart.

Entirely depends on the type of filter and type of useage. The filters for mine are 5" thick and pleated and are good for 6 months to a year depending on how much particulate matter is in your air. Of course they do cost more than 6 bucks. But I save money by buying them by the case from the local distributer so it only costs me about $5/month for them.

 

[larry]

Thanks. I called Direct Energy and they have a "Furnace Protection" plan for $7.99 a month plus HST, which includes annual cleaning and checkup.

don't be surprised if you have to pay for the first cleaning and any fixes required.