Fall Furnace Tune-Up: Why It's Worth the $99

Most of the January no-heat calls we run are caused by something we would have caught in an October tune-up. The pattern is so consistent we wanted to spell out what's actually on the checklist — and what we typically find.

What gets checked

• Ignitor amp draw and resistance
• Flame sensor condition and microamp signal
• Gas valve pressure (manifold and inlet)
• Heat-exchanger inspection — visual + combustion analyzer
• Inducer-motor amp draw, blower-motor amp draw and capacitor
• Static pressure on supply and return
• Filter, condensate line, thermostat calibration
• Carbon-monoxide reading at the supply register

What we typically find

The four most common findings on a fall tune-up: a dirty flame sensor (cheap clean, prevents an intermittent shutdown), a weak blower capacitor (cheap part, prevents a January motor failure), a clogged condensate trap, and an out-of-spec gas pressure that nobody set correctly on install.

Why $99 is the right price

$99 is roughly what one no-heat emergency dispatch costs us in fuel + tech-hour overhead. We'd rather find the cracked igniter on a Tuesday in October than be the company that didn't show up fast enough on the coldest night in January.