How To Check Your Heating System Before Winter Hits

Experienced homeowners are more likely to understand the importance of checking their heating system before winter hits. They forgot to check their heating system just once — and then vowed to never make that mistake again. Read on to learn what to check and do when testing your heating system before the winter weather season.

Clear out and clean up the area around your furnace

The first thing you’ll want to do is make sure there is no clutter or debris around your furnace before you ascertain whether it’s working properly or not. Throughout the year, stuff can pile up around your furnace. Now is the time to clear away all fire hazards.

Check your furnace air filters

When the warmer weather began earlier this year, you happily shut off your furnace and forgot about it. Over the course of last year’s colder weather, your furnace filters did some quality work. But, if they haven’t been changed for some time, you should check them out. Before checking the filter, be sure to turn off the circuit breaker at the main electrical panel supplying power to the furnace. Safety first! Once you’ve done that, you can inspect the furnace filter. Check both sides and replace if it’s dirty. If you fail to do this, you’ll limit the airflow and end up using more energy than necessary to heat your home. Purchasing extra furnace filters in the off season will save you that added worry.

Test the furnace and thermostat

Once you’ve checked and replaced the filter (if necessary), you can restore the power to the furnace. You can now test to see if it’s working properly. Turn the furnace on and check your thermostat while it’s running. Make sure the thermostat shows that your home’s heating up. If nothing is happening within 15 to 20 minutes, you should contact your local HVAC company to inspect and repair your system. If it feels warmer, you shouldn’t have any issues. Don’t be alarmed if you smell something a bit off the first time you turn on your heating system. This is often the result of burning dust, which has accumulated over the warmer weather period. If it bothers you, open up your windows and let your home air out. But, if the smell reminds you of gas or oil, you should be safe and call in the professionals for a leak inspection.

Test your hot water radiators

If you have hot water radiators in your home, you should also check that these are working properly. Make sure that when you’re testing your heating system, you have all the radiator valves on. Turn up the thermostat to maximum, wait 15 minutes, and then touch the radiators to see if they have heated up or not.

Fill up your oil tank

If you fuel your home’s heating with oil, make sure your oil tank is full before winter hits. Some may have their tank filled automatically, but if you don’t, then try to fill up early, as prices may go up during the colder season.

Protect your family

Before you start running your furnace regularly, you should check your carbon monoxide detector. Replacing your batteries at the beginning of the season is the safest choice, even if the batteries are not completely dead. You can use them for something else and be confident your carbon monoxide detector will work through the heating season. If you do not have a carbon monoxide detector in your home, go out and purchase one now. Similar to a smoke detector, a carbon monoxide detector will beep and alert you to too-high levels of this colorless, odorless gas. It’s something almost undetectable by our senses and can cause carbon monoxide poisoning and even death.

Schedule your biannual HVAC maintenance appointment

Whether your heating system is in need of repairs after you test it or you want to make sure it’s properly cleaned and serviced for the upcoming season, CJS Heating and Air is here to help. We offer a 24-hour emergency heating service and reasonable rates on parts, service, and new installations. Get in touch today for your service check-up!]]>