Your home heating system does more than just keep your family warm. The furnace, filters, registers, ducts, and all the other components work together to push safe, clean, warm air into your home, while trapping pollutants and venting out dangerous gases and fumes. Speaking of safety, your furnace, boiler, fireplace, wood stove, and other heat sources also pose the risk of fire. These, in fact, are the second leading cause of home fires in the U.S., affecting one out of seven homes each winter.
Here are a few ways to better protect your home and family against harm.
- Clean or replace air filters once a month to ensure efficient furnace (or boiler) operation.
- While a slight odor is common the first time a furnace is turned on after taking the summer off, take note of strange odors or sounds throughout the heating season as they could indicate a system problem.
- Make yourself familiar with the location of your furnace’s emergency shut-off valve.
- Keep the area surrounding your furnace free of clutter and flammable or combustible materials and chemicals.
- Clean vents or registers routinely and do not block them with furniture, window coverings or bedding.
- Have your heating system tuned-up annually by a trusted technician. Routine maintenance will save you 10-20% on your heating bill, add years to the lifespan of your furnace, and ensure that everything is operating safely and efficiently.
- Install carbon monoxide and smoke detectors on every floor of your home, especially in the kitchen and bedrooms.
If it’s been a year or longer since the last time you had your furnace or boiler cleaned and inspected, contact Optimum Air today. We are home comfort professionals that service all makes and models of home heating systems.
