With winter just around the corner, there are a few annual maintenance chores that homeowners should take care of before the cold weather hits. Derek Jackson, Sales and Marketing Manager for Wardlaw Heating & Cooling explains that a few simple tasks can help to avoid dreaded breakdowns in the coldest months of the year.
“We recommend having preventative maintenance and safety inspections done before the heating season starts. This allows repairs to be completed long before the heat needs to be turned on,” says Derek.
The Fall To-Do List
The fall is a good time to complete some routine household tasks to ensure that the home will be as comfortable as possible throughout the winter months. Derek suggests that homeowners check off the following tasks from their seasonal to-do lists before the snow flies:
- Check carbon monoxide detectors to make sure they are working
- Change air filters
- Clean humidifier pads
- Check for drafts
- Reprogram thermostat for winter temperatures
- Adjust humidity levels to 30%-40%
- Cover air conditioners with a tight-fitting cover
- Schedule an inspection of HVAC equipment including the furnace and the fireplace
The Goal is Safety and Comfort
Keeping the air inside the home comfortable and safe is the main goal year-round, but in the winter this becomes especially important as people spend more time indoors.
“Breathing clean air and having the proper humidity levels can keep our families healthy all winter long. Ensuring all appliances are operating efficiently and safely not only offers peace of mind, but it also ensures the safety of those in the home. Gas appliances that are not working properly can emit harmful chemicals like carbon monoxide into our homes,” explains Derek.
Derek continues, “We also want to remind people not to forget about their fireplaces. Since it is the secondary heat source, many people feel that it does not need to be maintained. Fireplaces work like all other gas appliances and need to be taken care of in a similar manner.”
Indoor Air Quality is Especially Important in the Winter Months
With all of the time spent indoors, indoor air quality also becomes very important. Upgrading air filters can help and some furnaces even have added features that help to improve the air quality.
“People with breathing issues, allergies, or asthma should strongly consider the air quality in their home. We can add in air quality products such as HEPA filters or UV lights to help clean and purify the air,” says Derek. “Many of our Napoleon furnaces now have built-in UV-C lights to clean the air as it passes through.”
Importance of Regularly Scheduled Maintenance
The year that a homeowner neglects the routine maintenance of their heating systems always seems to be the year that they wind up without heat on the coldest day. To make things easier for their customers, Wardlaw Heating & Cooling offers maintenance memberships on all heating appliances including furnaces, boilers, fireplaces, heat pumps, and water heaters.
“Our system keeps track of when maintenance is due so it doesn’t get missed. This leads to longer lasting equipment and invaluable peace-of-mind for our customers. Our memberships also include emergency coverage for weekends, evenings, and even holidays,” says Derek.
For more information about getting your home ready for winter or to schedule your fall maintenance, call (705) 230-3148 or visit Wardlaw Heating & Cooling on their website. They can also be found on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.