The first cold night of fall is the wrong time to find out your heat does not work. This checklist takes about 30 minutes, and most of it you can do yourself.
1. Replace the air filter
Start the season with a clean filter. A clogged filter makes your system work harder, raises your power bill and can cause a heat pump coil to ice up. Most homes need a new filter every 1 to 3 months, more often with pets.
2. Test the heat before you need it
Pick a mild afternoon. Switch the thermostat to Heat and raise the setting 3 or 4 degrees above the room temperature. Within a few minutes you should feel warm air at the vents. A dusty smell the first time the heat runs is normal and should fade quickly. A strong burning smell, or any smell of gas, is not.
3. Check your carbon monoxide detectors
If you have a gas furnace, gas water heater, gas fireplace or an attached garage, you need working carbon monoxide detectors. Press the test button and replace the batteries. Detectors should be on every level of the home and near sleeping areas. If you ever smell gas, leave the house and call your gas utility from outside.
4. Clear around the outdoor unit
If you have a heat pump, the outdoor unit works all winter. Rake out leaves, pine straw and vines, and keep about 2 feet of open space around it so air can move freely.
5. Set up the thermostat for winter
Replace the batteries and set a winter schedule. If you have a heat pump, keep night setbacks small, about 2 or 3 degrees. A big setback can make the backup heat strips kick on in the morning, and they cost more to run than the heat pump itself.
6. Open vents and clear the returns
Make sure supply vents are open and that furniture and rugs are not covering vents or return grilles. Closing off rooms does not save as much as people think. Closing too many vents can raise pressure in the ductwork and make the system work harder.
7. Check the condensate drain
High-efficiency gas furnaces make water in winter too. If yours has a drain line or a small condensate pump, make sure it is clear and draining. A clogged drain can shut the furnace down.
8. Schedule a heating tune-up
Some checks need a technician and the right tools. During a heating tune-up we look at:
- Heat pumps: defrost controls, backup heat strips, refrigerant temperatures, capacitors, electrical connections and airflow
- Gas furnaces: burners, ignition, flame sensor, heat exchanger, venting, gas connections and safety switches
A tune-up catches small problems before they turn into a no-heat call on the coldest night of the year.
Make it automatic with a maintenance plan
Our maintenance plans include a fall heating tune-up and a spring cooling visit every year. The Home Saver Plan includes 10% off repairs. The Home Shield Plan includes 15% off repairs and priority scheduling. See what each plan covers.
North Alabama Heating & A/C has kept homes in Huntsville, Madison and North Alabama comfortable since 1977. Call (256) 534-2941 to schedule your fall tune-up.
