Posted on Sat, Aug. 25, 2007 10:15 PM



By STACY DOWNS

The Kansas City Star



Should you have a furnace tuneup when it feels hotter than a boiler room outside?



“Admittedly, August in 100-degree weather is not when people are thinking about their heating systems,” says Kate Gleason, spokeswoman for Neal Harris Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing in Kansas City. Not many customers have signed up to get their furnaces checked this month, she says.



But summer is actually the perfect time. Some companies offer early-bird discounts. At the least, you can beat the furnace maintenance rush.



“It’s wise to do it before the first cold snap,” says Mike Green, operations manager for A.B. May, a heating and cooling contractor in Leawood. “That can be as early as Oct. 1. Then people have to wait for days.”



Hiring a professional contractor to maintain heating and cooling systems helps prevent problems and unwanted costs, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. An inefficient furnace can add up to 30 percent to your utility bill, and it sends more carbon dioxide, the “greenhouse gas,” into the atmosphere.



A furnace tuneup usually takes 45 minutes to an hour. Technicians perform more than 20 maintenance tasks, including changing the filter, adjusting the pilot light, checking the safety controls and cleaning the blower and motor.



Problems commonly found in furnaces that have not had annual tuneups are dirty filters and rusty heat exchangers, which may lead to poor ventilation, Green says. Another frequent finding is dusty blower cabinets that can cause the motor to burn up sooner.



“The life of a furnace that isn’t maintained could be cut in half,” Green says. Typically, new furnaces cost at least $1,500.



Furnace contractors also check for cracks in the heat exchanger that may let carbon monoxide escape. They may test carbon monoxide detectors (your home should have at least one on each level) by using kits that shoot carbon monoxide near the monitors.



Before hiring a service contractor, check prices and plans. Furnace tuneups cost about $90. Some companies offer maintenance plans for about $150 a year that include an air conditioner checkup, priority status for repairs and a discount for repair labor costs (typically 15 percent to 20 percent).



Some contractors offer $300 annual plans that include maintenance and set maximums (about $60) on the price of repairs, parts and labor included, regardless of the age of the furnace.



Contractors may try to sell you a new furnace if your system is more than 10 years old. Before buying, evaluate how much money you would save on your energy bills to make sure it would truly be more cost-effective.





•Variable-speed furnaces



Unlike conventional single-speed motors, the variable-speed fan motor runs at a variety of speeds to precisely control the movement of heated and cooled air through the ducts. These furnaces save money on bills because they use less electricity than standard motors. They’re good for zoning, allowing you to customize settings in different areas to control energy use.



•Two-stage heating



These furnaces operate at a high level on cold winter days and a lower one on milder days. They help eliminate noise and temperature swings associated with standard furnaces — no sudden kick or blast of air. They also are more efficient because they burn less fuel than a standard furnace that always runs at full capacity.



•Heat pumps



The all-in-one geothermal heating-and-cooling systems work year-round. They can be combined with an existing gas furnace, which kicks on when the temperature drops below the heat pump’s ability to operate as efficiently. Utility companies offer special rates and rebates for customers who install them (they cost about $10,000). But you could save up to 45 percent on utility bills with the combination.



Reach Stacy Downs at 816-234-4780 or sdowns@kcstar.com. Sources: Neal Harris Heating, Cooling & Plumbing; lennox.com