4 Tips to Help Prepare Your Home and Heating System for Colder Weather

If you want to ensure that you and your loved ones are warm when the temperature drops, it is not only important to check on the efficiency of your heating system overall, but also specific components of the furnace and/or boiler. Also, while it’s important to have a professional come out and check everything, there are also some things you can do to make sure your heating system, as well as your home, are ready to handle the cold.

Check on and change your air filter if needed.

Sometimes, when our customers call us for heating or furnace repair in their Bucks County, PA, Montgomery County or Philadelphia home, we discover dirty air filters. Inevitably, if you do not check or change them, they can cause your furnace or heating system to malfunction. A dirty air filter may also mean that the air quality in your home is not as good as it should be.

Double-check that everything is set to heat and not cool.

You would be surprised how many people forget to turn off their cooling units, or assume that their heating unit switches to on. So, double-check everything is where it should be. Also, do not forget to guarantee your thermostat is set to a temperature that is appropriate for that time of year.

If you have a chimney and use it often, check its interior and exterior.

Nothing in your home is impervious to damage, especially your chimney. If you plan on using your chimney throughout the fall, winter and into the spring, it is important to check it for cracks, soot buildup or various obstructions.

Take a peek at your furnace’s blower motor.

If you understand a little about how your furnace and heating system operates—you should check to see if all of its components are clean. For instance, a furnace’s blower motor plays a huge role in how well it functions. Plus, this component should also be oiled annually. If you hear any weird noises or have no idea if the motor has ever been checked or oiled, calling a professional is a must!

There are many things that you should check and do before cold weather arrives. Therefore, when in doubt about anything we mentioned above, call a professional immediately.