7 Things You Should Do Before Turning On Your Heat
While it may be tempting to turn on your heater as soon as you get home from work, there are a few things you need to do before turning on the heat. By performing these simple steps, you’ll ensure that your heating system works efficiently and safely:
Check your Filters
If you’re going to turn on your heater, you should check your furnace filter. The air filter should be changed every three months. If there is a lot of dust and debris in your air filter, you should change it more often. If your air filter is clogged, it can cause problems with your heater. Clean air filters save energy and help keep the heating system running efficiently so that you don’t waste money on maintaining or replacing parts of the system.
Check and Clear Chimney and Vents
- Ensure no obstructions in the chimney, such as leaves or other debris. If you have a fireplace, check that your flue is not blocked by creosote (a tar-like substance that can build up inside your chimney). This can cause smoke to backtrack into your home or apartment building when you use your wood burner!
Test your Thermostat
- Turn the thermostat to the lowest temperature setting and back to the highest. This will help determine whether it’s working properly.
- Ensure you’re not getting any error codes or other indicators of problems. If you are, this may indicate that your thermostat needs repair or replacement.
- Test the batteries on your thermostat; if they’re dead, replace them with new ones from a hardware store (or even old ones from another device). If there are no problems with those batteries, try resetting and cleaning the thermostat as mentioned above—you may have gotten dust or debris in its sensor over time which could cause it to malfunction at times when it should work just fine!
Inspect your Vents
Before you turn on your heater, it’s important to inspect the vents. You want to ensure that there are no cracks, holes, or loose connections in the system. You also want to check that nothing is blocking or covering the vent openings and ensure they’re not blocked with snow or ice.
Check your Alarms
Before turning on your heater, ensure that your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors are in working order. You should change the batteries in these devices at least once a year and place them strategically throughout your home. If you have pets or small children, it’s especially important to have multiple units of each type of alarm placed around the house–and if there are any areas where they may be blocked by furniture or curtains, make sure to move those items so that no one can miss the signal.
Finally, if possible (and especially if there is anyone else living with you), devise an escape plan for fires or carbon monoxide poisoning emergencies so that everyone knows what to do when one happens.
Check for Smells or Noises.
If you smell burning dust or plastic, that’s usually a sign of a motor malfunction. This can be dangerous, so you must contact a repair person immediately. If you smell burning rubber, this indicates that something has gone wrong with your heater.
Listen for sounds that could also indicate trouble: does it sound like a motor running? Does it sound like the motor turning but not starting up? Is there an unusual grinding noise? These are all signs that something isn’t right with your heater and needs attention before turning it on again!
Hire a Professional
If you’re still unsure whether your heater is ready to be turned on, it’s time to call in the pros. Hiring a professional will check for safety issues performance issues and make sure your heater is up-to-code. They’ll also be able to ensure that your system is running efficiently so that you save money heating a house that doesn’t need it.
How Texas Air Tech Can Help
At Texas Air Tech, we are a local company that has been in business for many years. We have a great reputation and can help with all your heating needs. We offer free estimates and 24/7 emergency service.
Furthermore, we are here to help you with any questions or concerns that you may have, so don’t hesitate to contact us if there is anything we can do for you.