Skip to content 
Score Big With Regular Maintenance
Football season is heating up, and while your favorite team keeps putting in the work, there’s another MVP that deserves a little attention, too: your furnace. After sitting on the sidelines all summer, it’s about to take the field for the long haul—and you’ll want to make sure it’s ready to deliver a winning performance.
Just like a strong defense stops trouble before it starts, a quick tune-up now can keep breakdowns off the board and help your system play at its best all season long.
Matheson regulars know the drill: Heating maintenance and tune-ups extend your equipment’s lifespan, catch small problems before they become full-fledged system failures, improve energy efficiency and give you peace of mind throughout the season.
Check the Scouting Report
Even before your furnace comes off the bench, there may be clues that it needs professional attention. Here are some warning signs to look out for:
- False start. If your furnace hesitates to kick on or shuts down before completing a cycle, it’s not just annoying—it’s a red flag. Short cycling often points to dirty filters, thermostat problems or mechanical issues that make your system work harder than it should. Left unchecked, this stop-and-start routine can cause bigger breakdowns and shorten your furnace’s lifespan.
- No, that’s not the marching band. Clanging, banging, squealing and rattling aren’t part of the playbook. These sounds often mean belts are slipping, bearings are wearing out or airflow is being blocked somewhere along the line. Addressing these noises early can prevent small fixes from turning into a costly mid-season replacement.
- Draft picks. If you’ve got cold spots around the house, your furnace isn’t heating evenly. That could be due to leaky ductwork, dirty coils or a blower motor that’s losing steam. Whatever the culprit, uneven heating makes it harder for everyone to stay comfortable—and it usually means your furnace is wasting energy.
- Play defense with offensive odors. A faint burning smell the first time you switch on the heat is usually just dust burning off after months of downtime. But if the odor lingers, smells musty or returns every time your system runs, it could point to mold, dirty ducts or worn components. Any unusual scent is worth checking out since it can affect both your comfort and your indoor air quality—and in some cases, it may be a safety concern you don’t want to ignore.
- Your furnace is running up the score. If your heating costs are climbing even though your usage hasn’t changed, your furnace may be losing efficiency. Worn parts, clogged filters and poor airflow all force the system to burn more fuel to do the same job. A tune-up can restore lost efficiency, help lower your bills and keep your system running smoothly.
- Past its prime. Most furnaces last around 15 years, give or take. Even if yours is still running, older equipment is more likely to need repairs and can be less safe than newer models with updated features. A professional tune-up will let you know if your furnace still has a few good seasons left—or if it’s time to start planning for retirement.
If any of the above sound familiar, Matheson is here to help! In addition, our HVAC Service Agreement makes it easy to keep every system in top form—through the NCAA Championship, Super Bowl, spring practice and summer training camp.
Your Home Field Advantage
You don’t need to sweat the X’s and O’s—that’s our job! With 80 years serving Southeast Michigan, the Matheson crew knows how to keep furnaces in peak condition. Whether it’s preseason prep or midseason troubleshooting, we’ll make sure you can count on comfort from the first snap of fall to the final whistle of winter.
And when your home comfort needs go beyond heating, our experienced crew is ready to help there, too. If your current water heater is nearing the end of its lifespan or no longer meeting your household’s needs, turn to Matheson for professional water heater installation in Commerce Township.
To schedule your next appointment, please feel free to use our convenient scheduling tool or call us at 248.363.4154.
