A Realtor's Perspective: Many Home Owners Neglect The Gas Furnace
I recently had my gas furnace serviced. I own an upgraded furnace with an air conditioner. I knew something was amiss when the darn thing kept firing up and was blowing air for long periods of time. As it turned out, I HAVE BEEN A BAD BOY!
Even though I’m a Realtor and I’ve witnessed a huge number of home inspections where the furnaces are called out as an issue, I had not cleaned my furnace filters for a long time. Fortunately, my technician said I was lucky and no damage had been done. He serviced my furnace, charged me $200 then lectured me on the value of simply cleaning my furnace filters every couple of months. Yikes! After such a traumatic experience, I consulted Stephan Cancler, my favorite inspector to find out just how big a problem furnaces pose to the average home owner. I told him about my recent experience.
He gave me the “inspector’s look”:
Then he offered this sage wisdom: “I would say that 80% of homes that I inspect with gas-fired furnaces do not have regular maintenance performed. This is recommended annually to keep the furnace running efficiently and safely. There are literally dozens of different manufacturers, and although the function is similar, all are not created with the same quality.”
THE PICTURE ABOVE IS A FURNACE WITH A VERY DIRTY FILTER
“The simplest form of maintenance that a home owner can perform is to change the filter(s) regularly. The filter helps to clean the household air and protects the heat exchanger from contamination. When the filter is not changed (or cleaned) regularly this will cause the furnace to run inefficiently, thus not providing adequate heat due to lack of proper air flow. This condition will also cause the furnace to short-cycle, causing stress to the heat exchanger, which can effectively shorten the life span of the furnace.”
The pictures above show a corroded furnace that has seen better days. He continues: “A service professional will clean the blower, contact points, oil moving parts, balance the air-to gas mix, change the filter and check for leaks. If there is a crack in the heat exchanger, carbon monoxide can leak into the heat ducts, a potentially deadly situation for the home’s occupants.
“Gas furnaces have 20 year life span and if neglected, this life can be shortened considerably. I have seen units that have failed in less than ten years. I have failed several furnaces myself due to cracks I found in the heat exchanger either from age, lack of maintenance or inferior quality. I recommend home owners who are putting their homes on the market to have the furnace serviced and to install a clean filter.”
I’d like to thank Stephan for sharing his extensive knowledge regarding gas furnaces. It’s amazing how home owners (all of us) have a tendency to ignore basic maintenance issues affecting the most important asset in our lives. Spending just a few moments every month and a relatively minimal amount of money every couple of years can literally save us thousands of dollars and keep our families safe.
James is a skilled and knowledgeable Associate Broker & Realtor with Keller Williams. Whether he’s selling an existing home or helping clients find their dream home, he provides quality real estate services in residential properties and relocations.
James and his wife Virgina have lived in Seattle since 1986 and bought their first home, a 1940’s project, in 1989. James is passionate about the Pacific Northwest and is dedicated to helping others find their home here.
Comments
Sorry, comments are closed for this article.
