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The Annual Furnace Check-Up: Why Is It So Important?

September 22, 2014

Your furnace is an important part of your home’s comfort in the winter. That’s why here at Brody Pennell, we encourage every homeowner in Los Angeles to schedule an annual furnace check-up. 

And in reply to our pleas, many people ask “what’s the point of heater maintenance?” Every day we speak to homeowners who say they will see how they fare without annual service and call for repair when the system breaks down. The reality is that a regular checkup on your heater has several advantages you may not have thought about.

Three Reasons To Get An Annual Furnace Check-Up

1) Improve The Efficiency of Your Heater

Regular furnace maintenance can significantly improve the efficiency of your heater. That’s good news for the environment, but also your pocketbook. When your furnace uses less energy, you spend less on utility bills. 

An annual furnace checkup will include ensuring components in your unit are in excellent condition, adequately lubricated, and are working properly. The technician will inspect the unit for problems with any of the furnace’s parts which prevent the furnace from functioning optimally. 

Two furnace inspection items can cause a bigger drain on your efficiency. One is dirty air filters. When air filters are full of dust and dirt, it can block air passage. That forces the furnace to work harder and consume more energy to pull sufficient air. Another example is a blocked exhaust pipe, which prevents passage of exhaust air. Again, that makes the furnace work harder to expel exhaust air. 

During our heating maintenance visits, we replace the air filter, check for a blocked exhaust, and complete several other items on our inspection checklist. With a thorough exam of your furnace each year, our NATE-certified technicians at Brody Pennell can ensure peak performance through the winter.

2) Prevent Surprise Breakdowns and Prolong Furnace Life

Here’s the thing: a furnace does not malfunction on a schedule. A furnace will require repair at the least convenient time, like on the coldest day of the year or when family is in town visiting. With this in mind, you should do everything you can to prevent a furnace breakdown.

Regular checkups are the first line of defense in detecting potential problem spots in your system, so we can rectify those issues before they become a major problem. 

During an annual furnace exam, our team takes great care inspecting your system for possible points of failure. We look for abnormal wear in the system and take care to address those issues. This way, we are proactive about preventing problems. This includes lubricating parts which prevent them from gritting against each other (which can wear them out fast). We will also clean or replace worn out, and dirty furnace parts. 

If you keep your furnace in shape, you can prolong its life by preventing damage and limiting wear & tear. To make your furnace last as long as possible, annual maintenance is a must. The easiest way to make sure your furnace stays in top-notch shape is by signing up for an HVAC maintenance agreement

3) Comfort Improvements

Regular maintenance can help ensure the comfort of your entire family for the duration of cold season. Some of the most common comfort problems include:

  • Cold spots in the house
  • It doesn’t feel warm enough, even when the furnace is running
  • Furnace makes loud noises
  • Indoor allergies are a year-round bother

All of these items could be attributed back to your furnace,  but may not be the type of thing you’d call in a repair for. A heating maintenance visit is a good time to bring up these problems with your trustworthy HVAC contractor, who can investigate. 

Oftentimes these problems are fixed with our normal maintenance procedures. By inspecting, cleaning, and lubricating the system we can improve system performance, which leads to improved comfort. It could also be a problem with your thermostat. Our team checks thermostat settings at every maintenance visit to ensure your system is working for you to produce maximum comfort levels.

Call Brody Pennell for Your Annual Furnace Check-Up

An annual check-up of your furnace ensures it stays in good shape. That includes performing at peak efficiency, durability and comfort. We’re here to help you make maintenance easy! Trust the experts that have served Los Angeles for over 70 years. Schedule a heating maintenance appointment anytime by using our website chat box or calling us at (310) 810-2721.


About The Author

Brody Pennell

Since 1945, Brody Pennell Heating & Air Conditioning is the committed to helping homeowners in the greater Los Angeles area experience total home comfort. In 2021, the readers of the Los Angeles Times voted Brody Pennell the Best HVAC Company in the area.

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10 stars!!!
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Kevin was fantastic! We have an old system and Kevin took the time to explain every piece of equipment in the HVAC. Appreciate the attention to detail and will be definitely using them in the future. Thanks!
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Both Justin’s that came to repair our unit were on time, very polite and explained what needed to be done in order for our unit to function. They took their time and were very thorough. Greatly appreciated. We are still deciding on the project .
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Hamachi’s Acosta and Allen Urquidez did a great job and now I have great air flow on “fan” function. I could not do it on my own.
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Had a great experience with today with the team from Brody Pennel. Punctual, professional, and effective. Would definitely use them again!
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Ruben Medina was very professional and pleasant and did a great job analyzing the issue with my AC, and came back to finish the job although it was later in the day.
Response from the owner:Thank you so much for your kind words about Juan! We appreciate your feedback and are glad to hear that he provided you with excellent service.
I was referred to Brody Pennell from a friend who has utilized them for decades. There is something so comforting about working with True experts that know how to install a machine and how to ensure that it runs properly for years to come. Had a great experience with installation and with Jason, who came to service our units.
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We just had Justin and Allen service since inexplicably our power was out to the unit. They resolved it so quickly and are wonderful gentlemen! Grateful for a company with integrity and happy staff.
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Very good service call. Very thorough!
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Leaving a quick perfect review because of the super kind man that talked to me on the phone at this place - he was leagues away more professional in his brief conversation with me than someone else from a different local AC company was that I spoke to yesterday. If that other place falls through this afternoon, I will immediately be contacting these guys back, because they clearly value mutual respect and human decency over that of at least one competitor out here in LA
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Daniel B. and David E. Both did such an amazing and mindful job diagnosing my AC unit. They took their time, and kept me informed each step of the way.I highly recommend both of these gentlemen.
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Fantastic service. Technicians Jose Castillo and Misael Ramirez were consummate professionals. Wouldn’t trust any other company to service my HVAC system.
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Kevin was extremely polite and professional and explained everything he worked on and inspected and was very thorough in his work. We are very happy with his service and promptness.
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Hands down the best HVAC service I’ve used. My home’s never felt more comfortable. Reason are very reasonable amazing service 😀
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Giovanny came on the same-day to look at our HVAC system. Very professional and solid experience !
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Jonathan came and not was able to quickly fix my HVAC but spent the time to teach me what went wrong. Very friendly and helpful!
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Excellent and knowledgeable service
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Ivan Diaz was fantastic! Professional courteous and knowledgeable. He advised me of everything he would check for both of our house systems. After reviewing, cleaning condensers and changing filters. He also tactfully suggested a few recommendations which would be useful for our home. Mr. Diaz is a credit asset to your organization.
Response from the owner:Thanks for the fantastic review! We're happy to have served you well.
Great inspection/maintenance service today from Alex and Alberto. They were very thorough in both thier inspection and wonderful in explaining what they found and had a picture for everything. Very personable too. I believe you can't go wrong with Brody Pernnell
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He explained so politely we were satisfied his maintenance and we hope he will come back for next maintenance.
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Great experience. I was notified of an estimated arrival time so I could plan. When the tech came,he listened to my concerns and didnt try to diminish my concerns or upsell because im a woman. He took his time and triple checked everything. He didnt rush or try and sell me anything I didnt need which is everything. So I would recommend and will use again if need be.
Response from the owner:Your satisfaction is our reward. Thank you for the 5-star review!
Great service.
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Matthew was great! Subscribed so I"ll be seeing him again:)
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Great work from Juan and David, both were very professional. They explained things thoroughly showed me pictures of a rooftop unit, and we’re very detailed oriented. Will definitely use this company again.
Response from the owner:Your 5-star review made our day! Thanks for choosing us.
Response from the owner:We appreciate your feedback and the 5-star rating! It means a lot to us.
Jonathan from Brody Pennel was very professional and skilled. He kept me informed throughout the servicing of my AC unit and discussed what was needed to keep it running in optimal condition.
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Giovanny was extremely professional and thorough. I felt like I received exceptional service from him and am continuing to work with Brody Pennell to replace my AC unit.
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Replacing my HVAC through Brody Pennel, I am very satisfied with my experience. From making an appointment to finishing the work, the process was systemized and thorough. Actual work was clean and timely. Thank you very much!
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I've finally found an AC maintenance company I can trust! Octavio and Armando serviced my two ACs today, checked and rechecked everything, cleaned the system, identified problems and solutions, and were incredibly professional, thorough and clear in all their explanations! They also wore booties and were nice to my dog :)
I've tried three other companies and have never had the great level of inspection and service that I had today.
Response from the owner:Thank you for sharing your experience with us, adrienne bell! We're grateful for your kind words and we're glad Octavio and Armando provided you with such exceptional service. We appreciate your trust in us!
Ivan was fantastic. He arrived on time, was very friendly and respectful of my home. He explained everything he was doing and answered all my questions. Everything was left in clean condition and my unit is running perfectly. I am 100% satisfied.
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Response from the owner:Your satisfaction is our reward. Thank you for the 5-star review!
Outstanding service! Juan R. Worked on 2 HVAC Units in our building. Professional, knowledgeable, thorough, respectful and explained everything. He is outstanding and provided exceptional service!
Response from the owner:Thank you for your kind words, Jane! It was a pleasure assisting you and I'm glad I could help resolve the issue for you.
Jaime was very polite and informative. He did a thorough job. But I was not impressed with the heavy handed up sell. I just wanted my system tuned I didn’t want to buy new components. Also their marketing is gorilla style. 4 days after having service done they hit me up to service my system. I’m not a fan of Brody Pernell.
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Super impressed with their fast service and honest pricing . Got my AC running in no time . Great company 😃
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Second time that I get them. Christian Flores was the technician. He did a maintenance check and fix some issues I had. I bought the maintenance plan from them. I highly recommend
Response from the owner:Thank you for trusting us with your HVAC needs, Alessandra! We appreciate your recommendation and are glad to hear that Shawn provided you with efficient service for both your A/C and heater.
Justin was very kind and helpful.
Response from the owner:Thank you for the glowing review! We're thrilled to hear that you're happy with our service.
I was so impressed with the professionalism and workmanship done by Rosendo and his team from Brody Pennell. They got our entire HVAC replaced within 3 days. Ashton, the supervisor, was available by phone or in person every step of the way. I would whole-heartedly recommend Brody Pennell to anyone, and would use them again for any needs that might come up.
Response from the owner:Your 5-star review made our day! Thanks for choosing us.
Matthew was the best! 11/10 stars. Super helpful, knowledgeable and just a cool dude!
Response from the owner:Thank you so much for your kind words, Conner! It was a pleasure assisting you.
Anthony (service tech) was timely and efficient. He clearly explained the service for both units (including pictures), checked the ductwork and made recommendations to keep the system at peak level.
Response from the owner:Thank you for sharing your experience, DeAnna! We appreciate your feedback and are glad to hear that Daniel provided you with efficient service and clear explanations. We are here to help with any future needs you may have.
The service rep was very thorough and explained what he was going to do. We were very pleased with his thoroughness to clear out some clogged areas to help with our breathing problems.
Rene Morales was the best. He slipped covers on his shoes as he stepped into the house.
Response from the owner:Thank you for the perfect rating! We're pleased to know you had a great experience.
Brody Pennell serviced my AC unit today and Rene was great as always. Always in great spirits and professional.
Response from the owner:Thank you for your kind words, Airika! We appreciate your continued support.
HVAC installation was done quickly and professionally!! They were on time and a pleasure to have around my home!
Response from the owner:We appreciate your 5-star rating! It's wonderful to know we met your expectations.
Pascual, Frank and Nico were very professional and hard working! They completed my HVAC on time and did a really nice job! I highly recommend them!!
Response from the owner:Thank you for your kind review! Your satisfaction is our top priority.
Brody Pennell serviced our AC unit in our condo today and they were excellent. Their technician was prompt, considerate and well qualified. I definitely recommend their service.
Response from the owner:We appreciate your 5-star rating! It's wonderful to know we met your expectations.
Jose Rivera was helpful, polite and clearly explained what he was doing.
Response from the owner:Thank you for sharing your experience with Jose! We're glad to hear that he was able to assist you with fixing the issue promptly and ensuring everything was working well for you.
Juan was very detailed oriented and took the time to explain things to me in a technical way that was easy to understand.
Response from the owner:We appreciate your feedback and the 5-star rating! It means a lot to us.
Today, Alberto M. from Brody Pennell came to provide annual maintenance to our HVAC system. His service was outstanding, he provided a super thorough explanation of all the work he did, and any potential recommendations for additional maintenance.

He took extensive photos that helped show the details of what was done and what might be needed down the line. I will definitely be calling Brody Pennell again for any HVAC maintenance or repair needs in the future.

Thanks again Alberto!
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Very thorough and honest
Response from the owner:Thank you for the perfect rating! We're pleased to know you had a great experience.

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