Before You Turn On the Heat in Central New York, Do This
It happens every year in Central New York. One day you're opening the windows and enjoying that perfect fall weather, and seemingly overnight we're waking up wondering why the house feels like a refrigerator.
Before you finally give in and turn on the heat, though, there are a few things worth checking.
Your furnace or heating system may have been sitting unused for months, collecting dust while we enjoyed our brief break from heating bills. Taking a little time to get things ready now could help your system run more efficiently and, more importantly, help you catch a problem before the first really cold CNY night arrives.
Change Your Furnace Filter
Start with one of the easiest jobs on the list: check your air filter.
A dirty filter can restrict airflow and force your heating system to work harder to keep your house warm. It can also allow more dust and allergens to circulate through your home. If you can't remember the last time you changed it, that's probably a pretty good sign it's time.
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How often a filter needs to be replaced depends on your home, the type of filter you use and factors like pets, allergies and how much time you spend at home. Checking it regularly throughout the heating season is a good habit to get into.
Make Sure Your Vents Aren't Blocked
We move a lot of things around during the warmer months without thinking about where the heat will eventually need to come from. Before turning your system on, walk through the house and check your vents, registers and baseboards.
Make sure furniture hasn't been pushed in front of them and rugs or curtains aren't blocking the airflow. Give dusty vents a quick cleaning while you're at it.
If your heating system has outdoor intake or exhaust pipes, check those too. Leaves, weeds and other debris can accumulate around them during the summer and fall.
And remember to keep boxes, cleaning products, chemicals and other potentially flammable materials away from your furnace and heating equipment.
Test Your Heat Before You Actually Need It
Don't wait until the first freezing night in Central New York to discover that your heat isn't working.
Pick a cooler fall day, switch your thermostat from cooling to heating and raise the temperature a few degrees. Let the system run for about 10 minutes and make sure warm air is actually making its way through the house.
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Listen while it's running, too.
Some normal operating noise is expected, especially when a system first starts. Loud banging, grinding, squealing or rattling, however, could be a sign that something needs attention.
It's much easier to deal with a heating problem on a 50-degree October afternoon than at 2 a.m. when it's 20 degrees outside.
Yes, That Burning Smell Can Be Normal
If you've ever turned on your furnace for the first time and immediately wondered what was burning, don't worry - it's normal.
A slight dusty or burning smell can happen when the heat first comes on for the season. Dust collects on parts of the heating system while it's sitting unused and can create an odor as it burns off. That smell should disappear fairly quickly.
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A strong or persistent burning smell shouldn't be ignored. And if you have gas appliances and ever smell an odor similar to rotten eggs, leave the home and report a possible gas leak from a safe location.
Test Your Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors
This is also a good time to check every smoke and carbon monoxide detector in your home.
Press the test buttons and replace batteries when needed. If you have fuel-burning appliances such as a furnace, boiler or fireplace, working carbon monoxide detectors are especially important.
Make this part of your annual fall routine instead of waiting for an alarm to start chirping at 3 in the morning. Because somehow, it's always 3 in the morning.
Check Your Thermostat Settings
Your thermostat may still be programmed for summer, so take a minute to switch it to heating mode and review your schedule. If you have a programmable or smart thermostat, adjusting temperatures based on when you're home, sleeping or away can help reduce unnecessary heating.
And considering how long a Central New York heating season can last, every little bit of energy savings can add up.
Consider Getting Your Heating System Checked
Fall is also a good time to consider annual maintenance, particularly if your heating system hasn't been inspected recently.
A professional can check the equipment for potential safety or mechanical problems and make sure everything is operating properly before the system starts working overtime.
If your furnace or boiler is older, has needed frequent repairs, struggles to keep certain rooms warm or suddenly seems to be using significantly more energy, those could also be signs that it deserves a closer look.
Don't Wait for the First CNY Cold Snap
Central New York weather isn't exactly known for easing us gently into winter. We can go from sunny and comfortable to scraping frost off the windshield remarkably fast.
Taking a few minutes to change the filter, clear the vents, check your detectors and give the heating system a test run now could save you from finding out something is wrong when you actually need the heat.
Because discovering your furnace won't turn on is annoying in October. Discovering it during the first snowstorm is an entirely different problem.