A heating tune-up from Air & Drain Works gets your furnace, heat pump or electric heat ready before San Antonio’s first cold front. A licensed technician cleans and tests the parts that fail most after months of sitting idle, checks every safety control, and tells you about anything that needs attention before it turns into a no-heat call. Book it once a year, in the fall.
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Heating Services
Heater & Furnace Maintenance in San Antonio
Fall Heating Tune-Ups for Furnaces and Heat Pumps
Is a Heating Tune-Up Worth It in San Antonio?
Here, the heat sits unused for most of the year. Then a cold front moves through, everyone turns their heat on the same morning, and the parts that wore out or got dirty over the off-season fail all at once. Flame sensors, ignitors, filters and drain lines cause most of those first-cold-morning calls.
A tune-up finds those problems while they’re small and cheaper to fix, and before you’re on a waiting list during a freeze. If your equipment is still under warranty, check the terms too. Some manufacturers ask for proof of yearly professional service.
What’s Included in a Heating Tune-Up?
Every heating tune-up covers the whole system, not just the part that makes heat.
On Every System
- Check thermostat settings and operation
- Tighten electrical connections and measure motor voltage and current
- Inspect the blower motor and blower wheel
- Check the air filter and replace it if needed
- Test the safety controls and the start-up cycle
- Check the condensate drain
Gas Furnaces
- Check gas connections and gas pressure
- Clean and inspect the burners and check combustion
- Clean the flame sensor and test the ignitor
- Inspect the heat exchanger for cracks
- Check the venting and test for carbon monoxide
Heat Pumps
- Test the defrost cycle
- Confirm the system switches into heating mode correctly
- Inspect the outdoor coil and fan
- Test the backup heat strips
Electric Heat Strips
- Test each heating element and its controls
- Check the amp draw so the strips aren’t overloading the circuit
When we’re done, you’ll know what condition your heater is in and whether anything needs attention. If something needs fixing, we explain it and give you the price before any work begins. See our heater repair page for what that looks like.
Do Heat Pumps Need a Tune-Up Too?
Yes, and usually twice a year. A heat pump heats and cools your home, so it works in every season. A spring visit gets it ready for summer, and a fall visit checks the heating side, including defrost and the backup heat. Our AC maintenance page covers the spring visit.
When Should I Schedule Heater Maintenance?
In the fall, before the first cold front. In San Antonio that usually means October or early November. The first cold morning is when heating calls spike, so booking ahead keeps you off the waiting list.
If fall got away from you, a tune-up in winter is still worth it. It’s better than finding out during a freeze that the heat won’t come on.
What Can I Do Between Tune-Ups?
A few things keep your heater running well between visits, and none of them need tools.
- Check the air filter monthly and change it when it’s dirty. ENERGY STAR recommends checking it every month.
- Keep vents and returns clear of furniture, rugs and curtains.
- Clear leaves and debris from around a heat pump’s outdoor unit.
- Test the heat on a mild day before the first cold front, so you find a problem before you need the heat.
- Test your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms if you have gas heat.
A short burning-dust smell the first time the heat runs is normal. Our post on why your furnace has a burning smell explains when it isn’t. If the heat comes on but blows cold, start with our guide to why your heater is blowing cold air.
What Does a Heating Tune-Up Cost?
The price depends on the type of system and how many systems your home has. Check our specials for current tune-up offers. If you’d rather not think about it every year, a membership covers it.
Save With a Maintenance Plan
Our Air Care Membership includes a fall furnace tune-up and a spring AC tune-up every year, plus member discounts on service. One plan keeps both sides of your system checked. See the details on our membership page.
Schedule Heater Maintenance in San Antonio
Get your heater checked before the next cold front. Call (210) 404-7723 or book online, and a licensed technician will tune up your system and tell you exactly what they found.
Heater Maintenance FAQs
How Often Does a Heater Need to Be Serviced?
Once a year, in the fall. A heat pump does best with two visits a year, spring and fall, because it heats and cools.
What Happens If I Skip Furnace Tune-Ups?
Small problems like a dirty flame sensor or a clogged filter go unnoticed until the furnace won’t start. Skipping service also means higher energy bills and more repairs over the life of the system.
Does a Heating Tune-Up Include a Carbon Monoxide Check?
Yes, on gas furnaces. Our technicians check the venting and test for carbon monoxide as part of the visit.
What’s the Difference Between a Tune-Up and a Repair?
A tune-up is preventive: cleaning, testing and adjusting a system that’s working. A repair fixes something that has failed. If we find a problem during a tune-up, we explain it and give you the price before we fix anything.
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