Part 3 of Fall Home Maintenance Check-list – Don’t Wait to Check Your Home Heating Unit

Now is the time! Even here in Arizona we’ve been warned. Residents North of Flagstaff and along our Eastern border with New Mexico, have already seen a snowstorm, unseasonable weather and short-lived to be certain, but a playful reminder that weather anywhere can turn on a dime.

Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash

How often do we think about turning on the heat before we actually do it? In our Fall Home Maintenance series we’ve talked a lot about landscape, appliances, caulking and sealing. Smaller things like these most certainly deserve your attention but upkeep of your furnace, boiler or heat pump is probably your most important Fall maintenance project. Proper maintenance can prevent failure of your heating system, a costly and inconvenient situation, but more importantly your health and safety may depend on it. With that in mind, we’re devoting a separate post to servicing your home heating system.

Don’t Wait for Winter to Service Your Home Heating System

While late fall or early winter is the time most of us begin to crank our heat, if you’re using a boiler, it’s important not to wait until the last minute to service it.

“A lot of homeowners have good intentions when it comes to scheduling maintenance,” says Mike Nicholson, owner of Nicholson Plumbing, Heating, & Air Conditioning. “The problem is that it’s easy to forget things like tune-ups when your equipment is still operating correctly. It only becomes an issue when something breaks or fails. The last thing anyone wants is to be without heat when the temperatures are below freezing.”

According to Nicholson Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning, homeowners should consider early tune-ups for the following reasons:

Prolong the life of your furnace. Regular maintenance can keep your furnace working at maximum efficiency and actually lengthen the life of the equipment. Many homeowners might not know skipping annual maintenance can often void a manufacturer’s warranty.

Prevent frozen pipes. It’s not unusual for homeowners to lower the thermostat while they’re away from home. However, Nicholson recommends residents maintain a regular temperature in their home — around 65 — to avoid bursting or frozen pipes.

Stay safe. Most furnaces are gas-burning, which produces carbon dioxide. A leak could prove dangerous or even fatal. During routine maintenance, a technician will take preventative measures to ensure this can’t happen, such as changing the filter and giving the furnace a thorough cleaning.