Furnace maintenance in Scarborough, Durham and the GTA
Most mid-winter furnace failures are not sudden. They are a dirty flame sensor, a restricted filter or a drifting gas pressure that has been building for months. An annual service catches those while they are still adjustments rather than breakdowns. Metropolitan Heating and Air Conditioning has been servicing furnaces across Scarborough, Durham Region and the GTA since 1979.
Book by calling (416) 283-5698, Monday to Friday 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
When to book it
Early autumn, before the first sustained cold snap. Two reasons: a fault found in September is a scheduled repair rather than an urgent one, and September is when parts are easiest to get. Booking in January means competing with everyone whose furnace has already failed.
What the service covers
A furnace tune-up is a sequence of checks, not a quick look. Ours covers:
- Burners, flame sensor and ignition assembly cleaned. A flame sensor with a film of oxide on it is one of the most common causes of a furnace that lights and then shuts down seconds later.
- Blower compartment and wheel cleaned. Dust on the blower wheel measurably reduces airflow, which raises temperature rise across the heat exchanger and shortens its life.
- Moving parts lubricated where the design calls for it, to limit bearing wear and noise.
- Gas pressure verified against the manufacturer's specification rather than left as found.
- Thermostat calibration checked against actual temperature at the unit.
- Electrical connections inspected and tightened — thermal cycling loosens terminals over years, and a loose connection heats up.
- Flue and venting inspected for corrosion, separation and blockage.
- Heat exchanger visually inspected for cracking or perforation.
- Safety controls tested — limit switch, rollout switch, pressure switch.
- A full heating cycle observed from call for heat through ignition, steady operation and shutdown, which is the only way some intermittent faults reveal themselves.
- Accessible ductwork visually checked for separation or leakage.
Why it is worth doing every year
Three concrete reasons, none of them a promise about savings:
A clean, correctly adjusted furnace moves the heat it was designed to move. A dirty one burns the same gas to deliver less of it into the house.
Combustion safety is only verifiable by inspection. Heat exchanger cracks, flue separation and rollout are not things you notice from the thermostat.
Most manufacturer warranties require documented annual servicing. If yours is still in its warranty term, skipping maintenance can be the reason a claim is refused.
What you can do between visits
Change or wash the filter on the schedule the manufacturer specifies — more often if you have pets or an ongoing renovation. Keep returns and supply registers unobstructed by furniture and rugs. Keep the area around the furnace clear, and do not store anything against it. If you hear a new noise or the cycle pattern changes, note when it happens; that detail shortens the next diagnosis considerably.
Related heating services
Book a furnace tune-up
Call (416) 283-5698 weekdays 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, or request a booking. Licensed and insured, all makes and models, from our shop on Venture Drive in Scarborough since 1979.