San Diego's combination of long idle periods and coastal humidity creates corrosion patterns you do not see in other regions. Your furnace sits unused from spring through fall while salt-laden marine air settles inside the cabinet. Electrical connections oxidize. Burner ports corrode. Gas valve seals dry out. When you finally start your system in December, these corroded components fail under load. This is why preparing your HVAC for winter matters more in coastal climates than dry inland areas. The dormancy period is the problem, not the winter temperatures. A furnace that runs regularly stays cleaner and develops fewer corrosion issues than one that sits idle nine months a year.
Elite HVAC San Diego has serviced heating systems across every San Diego microclimate from coastal Encinitas to inland Poway. We understand how proximity to the ocean changes maintenance priorities. Systems within three miles of the coast need more aggressive corrosion prevention than inland units. Older homes in neighborhoods like Mission Hills and Kensington often have original furnaces from the 1970s and 1980s that require careful evaluation. We are familiar with local building codes and know which modifications meet current safety standards. When you work with a company that specializes in San Diego heating systems, you get recommendations based on what actually happens to furnaces in this climate, not generic advice from a national chain.
