HVAC emergencies can happen anytime, but they are particularly dangerous during and after the holidays. Having to contend with cold winter nights is bad enough, but you’ve probably pushed your heating system to the limit with extra company, extra cooking, and everything else that comes with a busy holiday season. Whether you’ve planned a quiet break at home or a wilder one with your family and friends, here’s what you need to do to avoid a heating emergency.
1. Schedule an HVAC Tune-Up
Even when your heating system seems to be working just fine, an annual HVAC tune-up is in order. An HVAC tune-up will ensure that electrical connections are tightened, all moving parts are lubricated, and that your furnace’s controls are working properly. It might also allow a technician to identify minor issues that they can fix before they get too serious.
While we recommend scheduling your annual HVAC tune-up in the spring or fall, it’s not too late to have your system looked over. Call to schedule a tune-up as soon as possible if you haven’t done so in the past year.
2. Change Your Furnace Filter Regularly
Your furnace filter helps remove dust, dander, pollen, and other pollutants from your home’s air. If it isn’t changed or cleaned regularly, it can get dirty enough to impede the airflow through your ducts. This forces your furnace to work harder and can cause it to overheat and shut down completely.
Furnace filters can last anywhere from one to nine months depending on what kind they are, but they tend to get dirtier during the holidays. You’re probably spending more time indoors due to the cold, you have more visitors, and you likely cook more often. Even if you don’t need to change your filter every month, you should at least check it that often during the winter.
3. Make Sure Your Vents Aren’t Blocked
If you rearrange your furniture or redecorate your home for the holidays, make sure that you don’t block your air vents in the process. Not only will that make it harder to properly heat your home, but it will put more pressure on your heating system. It will need to work harder and be more prone to overheating and breaking down. This also means that you shouldn’t close certain vents to redirect heat. Keep your vents open and unobstructed, and wipe away any dust that gathers on or around them.
4. Test Your Thermostat
Regardless of whether your hosting guests for the holidays or traveling out of town, make sure that your thermostat is in good working order. Set it a few degrees higher than you normally would to see if it responds, and change the batteries regularly.
5. Don’t Turn Off Your Heat
It may be tempting to turn off your heat to save a few dollars if you’re traveling this winter, but that is not a good idea. Instead, lower your thermostat to around 55 degrees Fahrenheit. That way, you aren’t coming home to a frigid home with frozen pipes or dead plants.
6. Test Your Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Carbon monoxide poisoning is a serious problem that kills hundreds of people in the United States every year. It’s often caused by a cracked heat exchanger in a furnace, which is something that an HVAC technician will definitely notice during a tune-up. Since carbon monoxide is colorless and odorless, you’ll need working carbon monoxide detectors in your home to stay safe. Install at least one on every level of your home and outside of each sleeping space. Check them regularly, and replace their batteries as needed.
If any of your carbon monoxide detectors ever go off, evacuate your home immediately. Call 911 once you’re somewhere safe.
7. Watch for Signs of a Failing Furnace
You can avoid a lot of heating emergencies by monitoring your furnace for signs of trouble. As with anything else, it’s much easier and more affordable to fix minor issues before they get out of hand.
Signs of a failing furnace include:
- Rising energy bills
- Poor airflow
- Uneven temperatures
- Inaccurate thermostat readings
- Strange sounds such as grinding or screeching
- Burning smells that don’t go away
- Foul “rotten egg” smells
Call WK Mechanical Inc for Assistance
Whether your furnace is in dire need of repair or it needs a tune-up, WK Mechanical Inc will be happy to assist you. We have served Middletown, NY and the surrounding communities since 1945, and we can make sure that your HVAC system will be safe this winter. We are available 24/7 for emergencies, and we offer other services such as furnace installation and heat pump services. Call us today to schedule service for your Hudson Valley home.
