Preparing Your Heating System for Winter

When the sun is still shining and the air is warm, and you’re running around in shorts and a t-shirt, it’s hard to think about anything other than the playfulness of summertime.  But if you look closely, you begin to see that the leaves are starting to change and the nights are finally cooling off.  And even though you might still be running your AC on those warm September afternoons, now is the time to start preparing your heating system for summer.

Steps to Prepare Your Furnace for Winter

When the temperatures do begin to drop, you want to make sure your furnace is running at peak condition.  The last thing anyone wants is lose heat on those cold winter nights.  But, if you’re like most people, it’s hard to know where to start to make sure your furnace is operating efficiently.  Here are some tips to help get you started:

1. Check and change your filter

2. Make sure your burners are free from dust and other debris

3. Oil the furnace blower

4. Check your vents!  Make sure they are all completely unobstructed

5. Schedule an appointment to clean your furnace

Even just these few simple steps will get you on the right track to prepare for the upcoming winter.  But it’s not enough to just make sure the furnace is running optimally.  Here are some other tips and tricks that will help you save money!

Install energy efficient storm window to prevent heat from escaping outdoors. Why spend all that money to heat the house to just waste it melting the snow outside!

Make sure your thermostat is working.  If your thermostat is not working properly, your furnace may not be running as efficiently.  When you turn on your thermostat, the furnace should respond immediately, and without any problems.  If you have an old thermostat, you might consider upgrading to an automatic version that you can set when you are away from home or asleep at night, saving you quite a lot of money.

Inspect your chimney to make sure that it is free from obstructions or other debris such as bird nests.  Also, make sure there’s no build-up of soot and that all of the ducts are clean.

Calling a professional is always the best method to ensure your furnace is not only in good condition, but also running at peak performance.