Heating Tune-Up

Q: Why does my heater smell like burning the first time I turn it on?

After months of sitting idle, dust settles on furnace burners and on heat strips in the air handler. A light dusty smell for the first few minutes is common and should fade. A smell that lingers, smells electrical, or smells like gas is not normal. If you smell gas, leave the house and call your gas utility from outside.

Q: Does a heat pump need a heating tune-up?

Yes. In winter a heat pump depends on its reversing valve, defrost controls and backup heat strips, none of which get used in summer. A fall visit checks those parts along with the refrigerant charge, coils and electrical components.

Q: Is a heating tune-up worth it if my system is running fine?

A tune-up is the time to catch a weak capacitor, a dirty flame sensor or a failing heat strip before it fails on the coldest night of the year, when repair calls peak. It also keeps your system running the way it was designed to.

Q: What does a heating tune-up include?

For gas furnaces we inspect and clean the burners and flame sensor, check the igniter, heat exchanger, venting and gas pressure, and test for carbon monoxide at the equipment. For heat pumps we check the refrigerant charge, defrost system, reversing valve, heat strips and electrical parts. Both include airflow, filter and thermostat checks.

Q: Is a tune-up included in a maintenance plan?

Yes. Our Home Maintenance Plan includes a fall heating safety and performance tune-up along with spring AC maintenance. See the plan page for details.

Furnace and heat pump tune-ups for Austin homes, done before the first cold front.

An open HVAC cabinet exposes a large blower wheel, copper tubing, electrical controls, and red and blue service gauge hoses.

Why Get a Heating Tune-Up Before Winter?

In Austin, heating equipment sits idle for most of the year. Then the first cold front arrives and every furnace and heat pump in town is asked to run at once. Dust has settled on burners and heat strips, capacitors have been cooking in a hot attic all summer, and small problems show up at the worst time.

A heating tune-up from Gold Eagle Services finds those problems while it is still mild outside. Our technicians clean and test the parts your system only uses in winter, check the safety controls, and tell you plainly what they found. We are a family-run, locally owned Austin HVAC company serving Central Texas since 2017 (TACLA119235).

Want to know exactly what gets checked? Read What’s Included in an HVAC Tune-Up? in our Resource Center.

Two Gold Eagle Services technicians handle tools beside an open service truck, with a coiled copper-colored line and gear visible.

What We Check on a Gas Furnace

Gas furnaces need a combustion and safety check every year. A furnace tune-up covers:

Burners, flame sensor and igniter inspected and cleaned
Visual inspection of the heat exchanger where accessible
Flue, venting and draft checked
Gas pressure and burner operation tested
Carbon monoxide test at the equipment
Blower, motor and electrical connections
Filter, airflow and thermostat checks
Condensate drain on high-efficiency furnaces

A cracked heat exchanger can let combustion gases into your air. Every home with gas appliances should also have working carbon monoxide alarms. See Home Health and Safety: Key Hazards Every Homeowner Should Know.

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A technician adjusts exposed wiring inside a gray outdoor heat pump, with a cordless drill on top beside a light blue brick wall.

What We Check on a Heat Pump

Most Austin homes without gas heat with a heat pump and backup heat strips. A heat pump heating tune-up covers:

Refrigerant charge checked against temperatures and pressures
Reversing valve operation in heat mode
Defrost control, sensor and defrost cycle
Heat strips, sequencers and their electrical draw
Outdoor coil cleaned and inspected
Capacitors, contactor and wiring
Thermostat settings so backup heat runs only when needed
Condensate drain and indoor coil

Thermostat setup matters more than most people think: when backup heat strips come on too early, winter electric bills jump. Learn why in Heat Pumps vs. Electric Resistance Heat and Can a Heat Pump Keep Up With a Texas Freeze?.

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When Should You Schedule a Heating Tune-Up in Austin?

The best time is September through November, before the first cold snap. If you have a heat pump, it works in both seasons, so plan on a spring visit for cooling and a fall visit for heating.

Our Home Maintenance Plan keeps both your heating and air conditioning on a regular schedule, so you do not have to remember. Heating season also overlaps Austin’s cedar season: check today’s pollen and air readings on our Austin Air Quality Index and plan filter changes around it.

What If the Tune-Up Finds a Problem?

We explain what we found and give you options. Small repairs can often be handled during the visit; others we schedule with you. If a larger repair comes up on an older system, we will lay out the repair-or-replace trade-off honestly. See our heating repair services for more.

If replacement makes sense, you can build your system online to compare a gas furnace, a heat pump or a dual fuel setup and see an estimate before anyone visits. There is no pressure either way.

How Much Does a Heating Tune-Up Cost?

The cost of a heating tune-up depends on:

The type of system (gas furnace, heat pump or dual fuel)
How many systems your home has
Whether the visit is part of a Home Maintenance Plan
Attic or closet access

For tune-up pricing, call 512-489-4653 or schedule online. Members of our home maintenance plan get their heating tune-up as part of the plan.

Call for a quote at 512-489-4653 or schedule online.

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I get a heating tune-up in Austin?

September through November is the best window, before the first cold front sends everyone to their thermostats. Heat pumps do both heating and cooling, so a visit in spring and another in fall is a good rule.

Why does my heater smell like burning the first time I turn it on?

Does a heat pump need a heating tune-up?

Is a heating tune-up worth it if my system is running fine?

What does a heating tune-up include?

Is a tune-up included in a maintenance plan?

Learn More From Our Resource Center

Want to understand your options before you call? Our homeowner guides on heating maintenance and home comfort are written by our team for Central Texas homes.

Browse all homeowner guides in the Gold Eagle Resource Center

Get your heating ready before the first cold front.

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