Furnace Maintenance & Tune-Up in Des Moines, IA
Your furnace doesn't fail overnight—it shows warning signs for weeks or months before it stops working. A professional fall tune-up catches those warnings and addresses them before they become expensive emergency repairs. Obsidian Heating and Cooling has been maintaining Des Moines furnaces for 15 years, keeping systems running reliably through Iowa's cold winters. We're a veteran-owned business and Tempstar Elite Dealer, and we believe preventive care is always smarter than emergency repair. Schedule your furnace maintenance now and skip the midnight furnace failures—instead, enjoy a season of reliable, efficient heating with the confidence that your system is ready.
Up to 15-Year Warranty
Parts & Labor
Why Professional Furnace Maintenance Matters
Schedule Your Furnace Maintenance Today
Fall is the ideal time for a professional tune-up before heating season begins. Don't wait for a breakdown:
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What Happens During Your Furnace Maintenance Visit
From safety inspection to detailed documentation, every step is handled with precision and care. Here's what to expect when you choose Obsidian Heating and Cooling for your furnace maintenance.
Pre-Visit Scheduling & System Assessment
When you call to schedule maintenance, our team asks a few questions: When was your furnace last serviced? Have you noticed any changes in heating, noise, or unusual odors? Is your system still under warranty? These details help us prepare our technician with the right tools and any needed parts. We'll confirm an appointment window convenient for your family—typically in September or October before peak heating demand begins. For customers on our maintenance plan, scheduling is automatic; we contact you each fall to arrange your visit.
Pre-Visit Checklist
System History Review
Model, age, and service history confirmed.
Performance Assessment
Any noises, odors, or changes noted.
Tool Preparation
System-specific knowledge and tools ready.
Convenient Scheduling
Appointment fits your family's schedule.
Arrival Window
Clear timeframe so you know when to expect us.
Automatic Scheduling
Maintenance plan customers get priority.
Safety Inspection & System Startup Test
Our technician arrives with diagnostic equipment and begins with safety. We perform a visual inspection of your furnace and surrounding area, checking for gas leaks (using soapy water and electronic leak detectors), verifying proper venting, checking for carbon monoxide safety, and ensuring all access panels are secure. Before anything else, we verify your furnace is safe to operate.
Next, we observe a cold startup—watching how the ignitor lights, how the burner ignites, and listening for any unusual sounds. A healthy furnace ignites smoothly with a soft "click" and quiet burner operation. We listen for squealing, grinding, rattling, or delayed ignition—all signals of developing problems. We'll also check the thermostat, confirming it's communicating properly with the furnace and that temperature readings are accurate.
Safety Inspection Points
Gas Leak Detection
Electronic and visual leak testing.
Venting Verification
Proper exhaust and combustion air.
Carbon Monoxide Testing
Safety critical measurement.
Startup Observation
Ignition sequence and operation.
Combustion Analysis & Gas Pressure Testing
Proper fuel combustion is critical to both safety and efficiency. We attach specialized diagnostic equipment to your furnace and measure: gas pressure at the manifold (must be within manufacturer specs), combustion air intake, exhaust temperature, and flue gas composition including carbon monoxide levels. These measurements tell us whether your furnace is burning fuel cleanly, completely, and safely.
We also measure the flame color—a healthy flame should be predominantly blue with only a small yellow tip. A yellow flame indicates incomplete combustion (inefficient) or contamination. We'll verify that the ignitor spark is strong (measured in kilovolt output), and that the flame sensor is responding properly. If we find pressure or combustion issues, we'll discuss them and recommend correction before the heating season begins.
Combustion Testing
Gas Pressure Measurement
Inlet and manifold pressure verified.
Exhaust Temperature
Flue gas composition analysis.
Flame Analysis
Color and ignitor spark strength.
Flame Sensor Testing
Continuity and response verification.
Documentation
All readings recorded on service report.
Safety Parameters
Carbon monoxide within safe limits.
Blower System Inspection & Air Filter Assessment
The blower is the heart of your furnace—it circulates warm air throughout your home. We visually inspect the blower wheel for dust buildup, damage, or corrosion. A clogged blower wheel works harder, consumes more energy, and wears out faster. We clean the wheel carefully and inspect the blower housing for leaks or blockages. We'll also listen to the blower motor for any unusual sounds—squealing indicates a failing bearing; grinding suggests debris inside.
We'll check your air filter and its housing, assessing whether the filter is clogged and needs replacement. We'll recommend the proper filter size, MERV rating, and replacement frequency for your specific furnace and home. A clogged filter reduces airflow, which can cause the furnace to short-cycle or overheat. We'll provide guidance so you know how often to change filters throughout the heating season.
Blower System Service
Blower Wheel Cleaning
Dust and debris removal.
Motor Sound Assessment
Bearing and operation evaluation.
Air Filter Evaluation
Condition and replacement guidance.
Airflow Verification
Heat exchanger and ductwork check.
Heat Exchanger Inspection & Electrical Component Testing
The heat exchanger is where combustion heat transfers to your home's air—it's critical and must be safe. We perform a visual inspection looking for cracks, rust, corrosion, or soot buildup, any of which could indicate a developing problem. A cracked heat exchanger is dangerous and requires immediate professional attention. We'll also verify that the limit switch (which prevents overheating) is functioning—testing its operation at multiple temperature points.
On the electrical side, we test the furnace control board, checking for error codes and verifying proper voltage at critical points. We test the transformer (which powers control circuits), the contactor (which fires the burners), and any relays or switches. We'll also verify that all safety interlocks are functioning—if something goes wrong, the furnace must shut down safely. We measure electrical current draw to ensure the blower motor, ignitor, and control circuits are all operating within normal parameters.
Critical Component Testing
Heat Exchanger Inspection
Visual check for cracks or corrosion.
Limit Switch Testing
Multiple temperature point verification.
Control Board Diagnostics
Error codes and voltage verification.
Electrical Component Testing
Transformer, contactor, and relay check.
Safety Interlock Verification
All safety systems functioning.
Current Draw Measurement
Motors and circuits within parameters.
Documentation, Recommendations & Future Scheduling
Once inspection and testing are complete, we sit down with you and review our findings. We'll explain what we cleaned, what we tested, what everything means, and what we recommend. You'll receive a detailed service report including all measurements, what we inspected, what we serviced, and any recommendations for future attention. If we identify a developing issue (like early rust on a heat exchanger or a capacitor showing minor signs of age), we'll discuss timeline and cost for repair.
We'll recommend your next maintenance visit—typically in the spring before cooling season if you have an air conditioner, or next fall if heating is your only seasonal system. We'll also discuss whether joining our maintenance plan would be beneficial—automatic scheduling, priority service, and often discounted rates make it a smart investment for busy homeowners who want worry-free heating reliability.
Service Completion
Findings Review
All test results and measurements explained.
Detailed Service Report
Written documentation provided.
Recommendations
Timeline and cost for any needed repairs.
Next Visit Scheduling
Spring or fall maintenance planned.
Maintenance Plan Benefits
Automatic scheduling and priority service.
Q&A Session
All questions about operation and care answered.
Furnace Maintenance Service Throughout Des Moines Metro
We provide professional fall maintenance and tune-up service across the Des Moines region.
Serving Our Neighbors in & Around:
Ankeny, IA
North metro Des Moines homeowners trust us for annual furnace maintenance. Our technicians work efficiently across Ankeny's residential neighborhoods to fit maintenance appointments into your fall schedule.
Urbandale, IA
We maintain furnaces throughout northwest Des Moines and Urbandale, serving homes of all ages with consistent professional standards. Our technicians know the area's older and newer housing stock and heating system types.
Altoona, IA
Southeast of Des Moines, we service Altoona and the surrounding communities with the same professional standard and attention to detail that defines our work across the metro.
Grimes, IA
North of Des Moines, Grimes residents join our maintenance plan for automatic fall scheduling and priority service. Our technicians maintain furnaces in both new construction and established neighborhoods.
Clive, IA
West of Des Moines, we serve Clive's established and newer neighborhoods with consistent, reliable furnace maintenance throughout the fall preparation season.
Not Sure If We Service Your Area?
We're dedicated to serving Greater Des Moines and our surrounding communities. Give us a call if you're not sure if we come to you—chances are we do.
Keep Your Entire Heating System Running Smoothly
Beyond furnace maintenance, we care for your complete home comfort equipment.
Heat Pump Maintenance
If you have a heat pump, we service both heating and cooling functions with season-specific tune-ups that keep your year-round system efficient.
Heat Pump MaintenanceCentral AC Maintenance
Before cooling season arrives, a spring tune-up ensures your air conditioning is ready. Many customers get both furnace and AC maintenance for complete seasonal coverage.
AC Maintenance PlansEmergency Furnace Repair
If something goes wrong between maintenance visits, we're available for fast diagnosis and repair, 24/7 during heating season.
Emergency Furnace RepairFurnace Installation & Replacement
When a furnace reaches the end of its life, we'll design and install a new, efficient system with expert sizing and combustion verification.
Furnace InstallationIndoor Air Quality Service
Keep your filters, UV lights, and humidifiers clean and operating for healthier air alongside your furnace maintenance.
Indoor Air Quality SolutionsFrequently Asked Questions About Furnace Maintenance
Schedule Your Fall Furnace Tune-Up Now
Your furnace has worked hard all summer. Before winter arrives and you need reliable heat every day, give it professional attention. Obsidian Heating and Cooling makes furnace maintenance simple, affordable, and worry-free. Fall is the ideal time—we'll inspect, clean, and test every critical component so your furnace starts reliably when you need it and delivers consistent warmth through Iowa's cold months.
Our veteran-owned team has been maintaining Des Moines-area furnaces for 15 years. We're Tempstar Elite Dealers with direct manufacturer support, which means your system gets factory-authorized service at pricing that's fair and transparent. Whether you need a single fall tune-up or want the convenience of automatic maintenance through our maintenance plan, we're here to keep your furnace running reliably.
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