4 Things To Remember Before Turning Your Heater On For The Winter

So, what should you do to get your heater ready for the winter? Here’s how you can prevent the need for repairs and ensure your heater is ready to work:

1. Have an Inspection: Over the summer and fall, your heater probably sat unused. And the longer your heater sat, the more likely it is to need maintenance or repairs. Before you turn on your heater, have a professional come out and inspect your system.
   A technician can identify any issues before you start running your heat. If you turn on a heat that has existing issues, you could worsen the problem and need a more expensive repair. You may even need a complete replacement of your heater. By getting an inspection, you could prevent a huge bill.
   There’s also the issue of utility costs. If you look closely at your energy use, you’ll find that your HVAC system is responsible for almost half of the energy expenditure. If you receive system maintenance, you reap the benefit of less energy use and lower utility bills.
   An inspection can actually improve your overall health. If a heater is older, it might contain allergens and other unwanted particles. You or a loved one might cough frequently, have a runny nose, or have trouble breathing. When a technician performs maintenance, they look for any issues that could result in poor air quality.
2. Inspect it Yourself: There’s no substitute for a professional HVAC inspection. However, you should take the time to check the outside unit for issues. Before the real cold weather arrives, you should remove tree branches near the unit and check for other debris that could affect the system.
   As you walk around your unit, check for deteriorated insulation, rusty metal, and damage. When your technician arrives, you can explain what you noticed and find out whether or not you need to fix it.
3. Test the HVAC System: After you have a full inspection, you should be able to trust that your heater will work. But accidents happen, and your technician could miss something. Before you push the heater to its max, have it run a few test runs.
   To test the system, turn the heater on for about an hour. Make sure the heater is running during that time and not just turned on. While the heater runs, pay attention to the time it takes to warm your home. Does it seem to take longer than it used to? If you’re still waiting for heat after a short time, you should call a professional HVAC service and explain the issue.
4. Be Ready for Dry Air: In the winter, the air outside is dry. When you run the heater, the air becomes even drier. If you don’t take measures to prepare for the dry air, you could be uncomfortable this winter. Dry air causes the skin to dry out, illnesses to spread, and property to be damaged.
   There are ways to replace the air with moisture. If you have a humidifier, you can enjoy your heater without dealing with dry air. You can talk to your HVAC technician about installing a humidifier in your home.
5. Slowly Increase the Temperature: It seems like temperatures in the winter plummet without warning. However, you shouldn’t deal with the cold snap by cranking your heater to maximum temperature. The best way to prepare for the cold is to gradually increase the temperature. On the first cold day, don’t turn the thermostat up to 80 degrees.
   If you take a more gradual approach, you lessen the pressure on your heater. It has time to loosen up and adjust to the new demand. Over a period of a week, slowly increase your heating use. Failing to do so leaves your system vulnerable to failing at any time. So, while using your heater gradually might leave you a little cold, it’s less cold than you would be if your heater broke down.