- On January 20, 2018
At Howard Air, we want all of our customers to be not only comfortable, but also safe. While everyone wants to save money on heating bills, it is also a high priority to ensure that families are safe. When the weather outside gets chilly and home heating becomes necessary, we have several home heating tips for you to keep in mind in order to keep your family both warm and safe.
Run Regular Inspections
In order to ensure that your heating system is running safely and efficiently, we recommend that you have a qualified professional come to your home once a year to clean, inspect and maintain your home heating equipment. Heating maintenance inspections keep your home safe during the heating period, but they also help your unit run more efficiently in order to save you money in the long run.
Owner Maintenance
Even if you have a professional check your heating system before the season begins, there are a few things you will need to do in order to maintain your home heating safety. Keep an eye on your unit’s filter. There are many types of filters on the market and they can last from one to six months. It’s important to monitor the filter and replace it per the filter manufacturer’s recommendations. When a filter is dirty, it is restricting air flow which causes your heating system to work harder and, as a result, places unnecessary wear on the equipment. It also reduces how efficiently the system is operating, which increases your cost to operate it.
Run a Debris Check
If your heating unit is located in a storage area, you need to make sure there are not too many items around it. Keep boxes and other items from the unit. You do not want anything too close to the heater restricting airflow.
Observe Safe Space Heater Operation
Space heaters are a great way to keep warm when there’s a chill in the air, but these devices can be dangerous if not handled properly. We, at Howard Air, want to make sure you understand how to observe safe operation with any space heater you use. First, you will want to make sure you always turn the heaters off when you leave your house or go to bed. Second, you need to keep children and all materials at least three feet away from the heater at all times. Third, plug the heater into an outlet that is not overused with other items.
Use Fireplaces Securely
There’s nothing better than a warm fire on a cold day, but fireplaces create sparks and that can be dangerous. In order to keep your home and family safe, you need to have a sturdy screen around the fireplace. This will help keep the sparks in the right place and it will also protect family members from falling into the flames. Keep a fire extinguisher in the same room as the fireplace so you can put a fire out quickly if necessary. Never leave a fire unattended.
Test Smoke Alarms
When the cold months cause you to use more home heating methods, we recommend that you test your smoke alarms each month. Then, if the worst should happen and a fire started, you know your family would have ample warning to get out of the house.
If you have any questions about safe home heating, don’t hesitate to contact us here at Howard Air. We want you and your family to stay warm and safe all winter long!
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