What Should You Do Before Turning On The Heater?

Turning On The Heater?

Most homeowners are looking forward to the cooler months of the year after a scorching summer. At some point, your heating system will kick in, and things will really heat up. Before you turn on your heater for the new season, consider the following:

Switch On The Pilot Light

Because it’s been a while since your heating system has been operational, there’s a good chance that your pilot light needs to be re-lit. Call a qualified technician if you don’t know how to do this yourself or if you want to have your system checked at the same time. This leads us to our second point.

Employ a Qualified Technician

Heating systems are built to last, but they do require maintenance if you want to keep them running efficiently and effectively for as long as possible. To ensure this, an inspection by a qualified technician should be scheduled once a year.

Replace or Clean The Air Filter

When your system’s air filter becomes clogged, the system won’t run as well as it used to, and contaminants will be expelled back into the air. To avoid this, clean or replace the air filter every 1-3 months, depending on how quickly it becomes clogged.

Change to a Better Thermostat

Manual thermostats are a thing of the past, having been replaced by programmable models that allow you to program the days and times your HVAC system operates. Many of these also include features such as WI-Fi connectivity and weather updates.

Check Your Alarms

Multiple smoke alarms and at least one carbon monoxide alarm per story should be installed in your home. You can test each one by pressing a small button on the front of the unit and, if necessary, replace the batteries.