Auto, HVAC Tune-ups In the Spotlight
Each year, National Tune-up Day – held on September 25th – reminds us to look ahead to the coming winter and make sure our heating systems are running at top efficiency. The last thing we need in the middle of a typical winter is for a heating system to fail. (Even in cities like Dallas and Atlanta, nighttime temperatures are known to dip into the 30s!) Here are a few reasons why having a professional HVAC tune-up while the weather is still warm makes sense:
- An HVAC tune-up removes dust and dirt in your vents, allowing warm air to move more freely through the heating system.
- Fuel jets are checked to make sure they’re working properly, and any blocked vents are cleared.
- Your furnace’s blower access door is checked to make sure the seal is still tight.
- Burners are inspected for proper ignition and flame.
- The blower wheel and motor, wiring and filters are checked for corrosion and damage.
In the long run, an HVAC tune-up helps conserve energy and reduces the costs of heating your home!
Your local HVAC company can schedule a tune-up for you this season, and you can also look into home emergency repair service plans like those provided by HomeServe USA. Lincoln Tech schools around the country are proud to see so many of our HVAC graduates working with these companies to ensure comfortable, safe winters for the people in their communities.
A Good Time to Tune Up Your Car, Too
When you think “tune-up,” though, the first thing that comes to mind might be your car. And since the winter ahead will also take a toll on your ride, use HVAC Tune-Up day as a reminder to get your car checked out as well.
“While everyone wants to spend less now, in some cases the extra money spent for quality parts when performing maintenance on your car will result in fewer expenses in the long term,” explains Ken Phipps, Director of Career Services at Lincoln Tech in Denver, CO and ASE-Certified Master Auto Technician. “For example, the cost difference between the generic version of an air filter and the OEM part for your car may be as much as $10.00 or more. However, these items are vastly different in terms of quality.”
That quality is vital, Ken explains, because the air filter in your car protects a very expensive electronic part called the Mass Airflow Sensor. This sensor measures the temperature, density, and volume of the air entering the engine. This information is used to calculate the proper amount of fuel to mix with the incoming air for the best performance and fuel economy. “It is also very expensive to replace!” Ken says. “Much more than the $10.00 difference in price of air filters.”
Checking to make sure the fuel filter is clean is one of the most essential parts of performing a tune-up of your car’s engine. Tune-ups also include an inspection and replacement, if necessary, of spark plugs, ignition timing and idle components, engine air filter and cabin filter, and PC valve. An issue with one of these parts now can create big headaches and possibly even safety concerns when winter sets in.
On National Tune-Up Day this year, start taking steps to protect your heating system and your car so that as the calendar pages turn and temperatures drop, you can be safe on the roads and comfortable indoors!