Get Your Heating System Ready for Winter

Winters here in Ohio can be downright bitter. You want your heating system to be prepared when the first freeze hits! Here’s what it takes to get your heating system ready for winter.  Schedule Professional Heating Maintenance  Many homeowners make the mistake of ignoring their furnace until something goes wrong. However, by scheduling heating maintenance at the beginning of winter, you can: 

• Avoid emergency repairs 
• Extend the life of your heating system 
• Reduce energy bills 
• Improve indoor air quality 
• Boost home comfort 

Heating maintenance includes cleaning various components, checking safety controls, measuring carbon monoxide levels, lubricating moving parts, making minor repairs and adjustments, and much more. There’s no better way to get your heating system ready for winter.  To maximize the benefits of annual heating maintenance, consider signing up for a CJS YES Club membership. In addition to yearly furnace and air conditioner inspections, you enjoy discounts, priority service, and a 100 percent satisfaction guarantee.  Make Other Preparations  After the visit from your heating technician, take these additional steps to prepare for the upcoming winter season: 

• Replace the furnace filter. This is a task your heating technician should take care of during routine maintenance, but remember to change the air filter once every one to three months throughout the winter or as directed by the manufacturer. 
• Tidy up around the furnace. If you stored anything near or leaning against the furnace during the summer, move it to a different location now. Keeping combustible objects away from the heating equipment prevents creating a fire hazard. 
• Switch the thermostat to heating mode. When the furnace kicks on for the first time, pay attention to the way it operates. There might be a slight musty or stale odor at first, but once the furnace has run for a few minutes, everything should sound and smell normal. 
• Upgrade to a programmable thermostat if you don’t already have one. This helps to lower costs and reduce energy waste by only heating the house when people are home. 
• Clean the air registers. Ensure heated air flows smoothly by vacuuming dust and cobwebs from return and supply registers. If it’s been a while since you had air duct cleaning performed, consider scheduling this service before winter gets underway. 
• Install a whole-house humidifier if you don’t already have one. This reduces static electricity buildup, makes your home more comfortable and reduces heating bills. If you already have a humidifier, clean it and change the evaporator pad to get it ready for another winter. 
• Test your carbon monoxide detectors. The risk of CO poisoning increases in the winter when you close up your home tightly and rely more on combustion appliances, including your gas furnace and water heater. Testing your carbon monoxide detectors once a month gives you peace of mind that they’re working correctly. 

To schedule heating maintenance or other furnace services in Columbus, OH, please contact CJS Heating and Air.]]>