A carbon monoxide alarm is not a maintenance call
If a carbon monoxide alarm sounds, or people in the house have headaches, nausea or drowsiness that ease when they go outside, leave the house and call the fire department from outside. Do not wait for a booked tune-up.
The Ontario Fire Code requires a working carbon monoxide alarm next to each sleeping area of a home with a fuel-burning appliance, a fireplace or an attached garage. A maintenance visit is a good time to confirm yours are in place and within their replacement date. Our carbon monoxide guide covers placement in more detail.
Small changes in how the system runs are worth a visit
Most furnaces and air conditioners give some notice before they fail. A furnace that starts and stops more often than it used to, a new rattle or hum at start-up, a little water on the floor beside the cabinet, or rooms that take longer to warm are common signs. On the cooling side, it is usually weaker airflow, frost on the copper line outside, or a unit that runs a long time without reaching the set temperature.
None of these is usually urgent. Most come down to a dirty filter, a partly blocked drain, a worn motor bearing or a weak capacitor. It is safe to check the filter and replace it if it is grey, and to make sure grilles are not covered by furniture or rugs. Leave the burners, the gas valve and the refrigerant circuit to a technician. If the system has stopped, see furnace repair or air conditioner repair.
Condensing furnaces in the newer subdivisions need clear drains and vents
Around Fall Fair Way, Fletcher Road, Royal Winter Blvd, Binhaven Blvd and Reid Ave N, most houses have high-efficiency condensing furnaces vented through the side wall with plastic pipe. These furnaces make water as they run. It flows through a trap and a small hose to a floor drain or a condensate pump. When the trap fills with sludge or the hose sags or kinks, the furnace senses the backup and shuts itself off, often on a cold night when it is working hardest.
A seasonal visit cleans and refills the trap, checks the hose and pump, and looks at the intake and exhaust pipes outside. Between visits, it is safe to clear snow and ice from those pipes by hand. Many of these houses are tight and well insulated, and some have a furnace larger than they need. Short, frequent cycles are one sign of that. A technician can note it now so it is considered when the furnace is eventually replaced. See furnace installation and replacement.
Older chimney-vented furnaces get a closer look at the heat exchanger
Mid-century houses along Binbrook Road usually have mid-efficiency furnaces vented through a chimney. In the older village core along Highway 56, some houses were converted from oil or coal to gas, and the chimney may never have been relined. In these houses, maintenance pays particular attention to how well the venting draws and to the condition of the heat exchanger.
A cracked heat exchanger can let combustion gases, including carbon monoxide, into the air the furnace moves through the house. If a technician finds one, the furnace should not be left running, and you will be told so plainly. Most visits do not find this. They find dust, a weak draft or a worn part, and the furnace carries on. If yours is getting older, our guide on how long a furnace lasts explains the usual signs.
Manufacturer warranties often depend on regular service
Many furnace and air conditioner manufacturers make their parts warranty conditional on yearly maintenance by a qualified technician. The terms vary, so read the warranty booklet or the registration page for your unit. Keep the dated service record from each visit with that booklet. If a part fails under warranty, the record is usually the first thing the manufacturer asks for.
Regular service also helps with running costs. A clean filter, a clean blower and properly adjusted burners let the furnace deliver its rated heat with less gas. A clean outdoor coil lets the air conditioner move heat with less electricity.
A maintenance visit follows a set order
Book the furnace in early fall and the air conditioner in late spring, before each season's first hard run. On the furnace, the technician checks the filter, cleans the flame sensor, inspects the burners and igniter, tests the safety switches, checks the inducer and blower, measures gas pressure and temperature rise, and follows the venting to the outside. Gas appliances in Ontario are serviced to the CSA B149.1 Natural Gas and Propane Installation Code. Work is performed by TSSA-certified gas technicians.
On the air conditioner, the technician cleans the outdoor coil, clears the condensate line, checks electrical connections and the capacitor, and measures temperatures across the coil to see whether the system is cooling as it should. Work is performed by 313A refrigeration and air conditioning mechanics.
If something needs repairing, you are shown what was found and given a written price to approve before any part is fitted. If nothing is needed, you get the service record and the system goes back to work. You can contact us to book or request a quote.