Furnace Tune-Up Checklist: What a $79.95 Fall Tune-Up Includes and Why It Matters in Chicago

Short answer: a real furnace tune-up is a safety inspection plus a performance service — heat exchanger, burners, ignition, gas pressure, carbon monoxide, blower, filter and thermostat — finished with a written report. Ours is $79.95, takes about an hour, and is the single cheapest way to avoid a January no-heat call.

What’s on the checklist

1. Heat exchanger inspection for cracks and corrosion — the carbon-monoxide check that matters most.
2. Burner and flame-sensor cleaning so the furnace lights every time and stays lit.
3. Ignition test — hot-surface ignitor or pilot, and the gas valve response.
4. Gas pressure and combustion check for efficiency and safe operation.
5. Carbon-monoxide test at the supply registers.
6. Blower, motor and capacitor check — amp draw, bearings, belt if present.
7. Filter check and replacement recommendation.
8. Safety controls — high-limit, rollout and pressure switches.
9. Condensate drain and inducer on high-efficiency furnaces.
10. Thermostat calibration and fresh batteries.
11. Written report with anything we recommend — and no pressure to buy.

Why fall, not winter

The parts that fail — ignitors, flame sensors, capacitors, pressure switches — fail under load, and load arrives with the first freeze. A tune-up in September or October finds a weak ignitor while it is still a $79.95 visit instead of an emergency. It also means the furnace enters heating season clean, which is where the energy savings come from: a dirty burner and clogged filter can waste 10–20% of the gas you pay for.

Your warranty depends on it

Most manufacturers, including Trane, require documented annual maintenance to honor parts warranties. Our service report is that documentation. Skip tune-ups for a few years and a warranty claim on a control board or blower motor can be denied.

What a tune-up is not

It is not a sales visit. If we find something, you get an exact flat quote and you decide. Most tune-ups end with “you’re good for the season.” When they don’t, a $79.95 visit just saved you a much bigger bill.

Book it

Call (773) 539-9629 or get a time online. Pair it with a $79.95 A/C tune-up in spring, or ask about an annual comfort plan that schedules both automatically with priority service during cold snaps. Veterans and seniors save 10%.

Written by the Daily Giants HVAC service team. Family-owned in Chicago since 1987. All furnace brands serviced.