Heating Maintenance & Furnace Tune-Ups in Round Rock & Austin
A heating tune-up from Koala Cooling & Plumbing is a Heat Check for $149, with no separate service fee. Your technician runs a 15-minute carbon monoxide test, checks the flame sensor, ignitor, burners, safety switches and flue, measures airflow and static pressure, and walks you through the results before recommending anything. Koala Club members get one every fall.
Last reviewed October 4, 2026, by Scott Feller, owner of Koala Cooling & Plumbing (Texas HVAC license TACLA26515E).
Central Texas furnaces and heat pumps sit idle for most of the year, and the first cold front is when worn ignitors, dirty flame sensors and weak capacitors show up. A Heat Check finds those problems before you need the heat, and on a gas furnace it confirms the system isn't putting carbon monoxide into your home.
What's Included in a Koala Heat Check
Every Heat Check follows the same checklist, and your technician writes the actual readings next to the manufacturer's rated values. Gas furnaces get the furnace and safety checks; heat pumps also get the outdoor-unit checks.
| Area | What we check |
|---|---|
| Gas furnace and safety | 15-minute carbon monoxide test (10 PPM maximum), carbon monoxide detector, flame sensor, ignitor, visual flame check, burner crossover ports, limit switches, pressure switch, induced draft motor amps, flue pipe, gas line and furnace closet checked against code, and flammables near the furnace. |
| Air handler and airflow | Evaporator coil, blower wheel, blower motor amps and fan capacitor, circuit board and wiring, system static pressure, temperature change (Delta T), filter type, surge protector, and electric heat kit amps. |
| Heat pump outdoor unit | Refrigerant type, pressures and subcool, compressor running and inrush amps, condenser fan amps, compressor and fan capacitors, defrost timer and reversing valve operation, contactor voltage drop and resistance, low-voltage reading and wiring, start-assist device, coil fins and coil cleanliness, unit level, disconnect, and locking Schrader caps. Wire connections tightened. |
| Ductwork | Supply and return duct insulation, duct sealing and strapping, start collars, return plenum size, platform return sealing, and zone system operation. |
| Thermostat and home | Thermostat programming, thermostat batteries (you supply them), hot or cold spots, general condition of the unit, and the UV light and bulb if you have one. |
The condensate drain line blowout is part of the spring AC tune-up (Cool Check), not the Heat Check.
Carbon Monoxide Safety
A cracked heat exchanger or a blocked flue can let carbon monoxide into your home with no smell and no warning. Every Heat Check on a gas furnace includes a 15-minute carbon monoxide test with a 10 PPM maximum, plus a check of your carbon monoxide detector. If a reading is out of range, your technician explains what it means and what the fix costs before you decide anything.
How We Report What We Find: Must, Should, Could
Every item is marked pass, caution or fail. When something needs attention, we sort it into three groups:
- Must: items that failed and need repair to run the system safely, such as a carbon monoxide reading over the limit or a failed safety switch.
- Should: items that still work but test outside manufacturer tolerance, like a weak capacitor or a flame sensor that needs cleaning.
- Could: optional upgrades, such as a surge protector or a UV light.
Every recommendation comes with its published price from our StraightForward Pricing™ book. You approve or decline each one, with no pressure either way.
Heating Tune-Up Cost
| Option | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| One-time Heat Check | $149, no service fee | Furnace or heat pump tune-up with carbon monoxide test and written results |
| Koala Club membership | $28.79 per month | Fall Heat Check and spring Cool Check (with drain line blowout) for 1 or 2 systems, annual plumbing inspection, water heater flush, $49 service fee (waived when you have paid work done), 10% off all repairs and replacements, priority scheduling |
| Repairs found during a tune-up | Published price | Priced from our StraightForward Pricing™ book before any work starts; Club members save 10% |
We occasionally run seasonal promotions that lower the $149 Heat Check price. If you want both seasonal visits, the Koala Club includes them and covers up to two systems. Common heating repair prices, like flame sensor and ignitor replacement, are listed on our furnace and heating repair page.
When to Schedule a Heat Check
In the fall, before the first freeze. A Heat Check needs it cool enough outside to run the heat through a full cycle, so we start them once fall temperatures drop. If you have a heat pump, it heats and cools with the same outdoor unit, so it needs both a fall Heat Check and a spring Cool Check.
Why Heating Maintenance Matters in Central Texas
- Flame sensors and ignitors fail after sitting idle. A dirty flame sensor shuts the burners off seconds after they light. Cleaning one during a Heat Check is far cheaper than a no-heat call on a cold night.
- Carbon monoxide has no warning signs. The 15-minute test and detector check are the only way to know a gas furnace is venting safely.
- Heat pumps work all year. The Heat Check tests the defrost timer and reversing valve, the parts that let a heat pump switch to heating and keep the outdoor coil from icing over.
- Warranty records. Most manufacturer warranties expect documented annual maintenance. Your completed Heat Check is that record.
Heating Maintenance Across Central Texas
We perform Heat Checks throughout our service area at the same published price, including Round Rock, Pflugerville, Georgetown, Cedar Park, Leander, Hutto and Austin. We service every major brand of gas furnace and heat pump, no matter who installed it.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a furnace tune-up cost?
$149 for a one-time Heat Check, with no separate service fee. We occasionally run seasonal promotions that lower that price. Koala Club members get a fall Heat Check and a spring Cool Check as part of their $28.79 monthly membership.
What's included in a heating tune-up?
A Heat Check covers the furnace burners, flame sensor, ignitor, safety switches and flue, a 15-minute carbon monoxide test, airflow and static pressure, ductwork, and the thermostat. Heat pumps also get the outdoor-unit checks, including the defrost timer and reversing valve.
Do you test for carbon monoxide?
Yes. Every Heat Check on a gas furnace includes a 15-minute carbon monoxide test with a 10 PPM maximum, and we check your carbon monoxide detector.
When should I schedule heating maintenance?
In the fall, before the first freeze, once it is cool enough outside to run the heat through a full cycle.
Do heat pumps need a Heat Check?
Yes. A heat pump heats your home with the same outdoor unit that cools it, so it needs a fall Heat Check and a spring Cool Check. The Heat Check tests the defrost timer and reversing valve, which control how the heat pump switches into heating and clears ice off the outdoor coil.
Do I have to be a Koala Club member to get a Heat Check?
No. Anyone can book a Heat Check for $149. The Club adds a spring Cool Check, an annual plumbing inspection, a water heater flush, a $49 service fee (waived when you have paid work done) and 10% off all repairs and replacements.
What happens if the Heat Check finds a problem?
Your technician sorts findings into Must, Should and Could, explains each one, and shows you the published price before any work starts. You decide what to fix, and nothing is done without your approval.
Schedule Your Heat Check
Book your $149 Heat Check online or call (512) 759-8800, and ask about current tune-up promotions.
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