You can not attempt to fix the engine of your car with a butter knife, can you? But many homeowners clean their furnaces with whatever they have around and hope they get both ends covered. 

Although the DIY spirit is certainly commendable, your furnace is not the place to test it out. It is a device that influences your comfort, your safety, and your bills every month. And here is why it is worth paying the professionals to do it.

Dust is not the only culprit

Your furnace may be covered in dust, but it also accumulates pollen, pet hair, and even mold spores. Pros are equipped with specialized equipment and heavy vacuums that are capable of removing debris from the depths of your ductwork and furnace components. These are areas your usual household vacuum cannot reach.

Without such equipment, you do surface cleaning mostly. The bad stuff remains unseen and goes around in your air every time the furnace comes on.

Doing it yourself can ruin your furnace

Furnaces are not as clear as kitchen counter tops or home shelves. Poking it, unscrewing it, or using a vacuum cleaner around the wrong area might:

• Bend one of the fan blades
• Move a sensor out of position 
• Ruin the heat exchanger.

Professional furnace cleaners in Edmonton are aware of the areas they may work with and the areas that cannot be touched. They are also familiar with the proper procedure to dismantle and reassemble the system. A small mistake on your part may make a cleaning operation become a repair operation that costs a lot.

DIY poses unexpected safety risks

A furnace is not a simple heating box. It is attached to a gas supply or electricity, as well as carbon monoxide ventilation in some houses. Unless you are trained, you may end up accidentally loosening a gas connection or backing up a vent. This puts your household at risk.

Pros do not only clean. They inspect areas to make sure the facility is safe, and they can often identify minor problems before they turn into emergencies.

DIY may not achieve the much-needed efficiency

Professional furnace cleaning results in more efficient operation. It translates to:

• Less wasted energy
• Fewer heating cycles
• Reduced utility bills. 

Professionals understand how to clear deposits in places where you cannot access, and this will make your system perform optimally.

DIY can clean up the outside of your furnace enough to make it look clean. However, deep cleaning is the only way to get that improvement and the savings that come along with it.

It doesn’t cost as much as you think

DIY costs can quickly match the cost of a professional furnace cleaning service. If you are doing it thoroughly, consider: 

• Renting gear
• Purchasing additional equipment
• Losing a Saturday, and other costs.

And what happens when you break something? That is when DIY turns out to be highly costly.

Professionals do it quicker, better, and with zero risk to your warranty. This also gives you peace of mind.

The bottom line

Your heating is too valuable to be playing with. A furnace cleaning service is an essential part of maintaining your household safe, warm, and healthy throughout the year.