Winter Home Maintenance and Heating System Startup Tips
Maintaining these items will prolong the life of the equipment and will help insure proper operation for the season. Here is a home maintenance list for you to do it yourself.
1. Furnace – forced hot air heat. Remove filter media and vacuum clean entire air chamber then install new air filter. If system is used for cooling also clean “A” coil if reachable in plenum. Check fan belts, pilot light, humidifier and media pad if needed. On older furnaces the pilot light may stay on all the time and you can see it, newer models are usually self igniting and light only when furnace is running. If you are not familiar with these parts call a service person to perform routine cleaning. Keep the area clear around the furnace before startup. Test operation.
2. Oil Heat – Change fuel filters and service burners if needed. Check fuel tank for water content and fill tank.
3. Forced Air Systems – clean registers and returns, remove grill on returns, vacuum clean out and reinstall the grill. On older forced air systems the entire duct work should be cleaned every couple of years. Inspect flue pipe for blockages, leaks, holes and make sure vent cap is in place on roof.
4. Central Air Conditioners -Clean the outside unit of leaves and debris and cover as owners manual suggests.
5. Window Air Conditioners – If possible remove from window or close vents and cover from the outside with an air conditioner cover.
6. Hot Water Heating Systems – check and lubricate circulating pumps, clean baseboard units and test system.
7. Room Thermostats – change batteries and change if needed, clean the contacts or sensor if visible, setup energy savings features and to winter settings, reprogram time and date. On older thermostats I would suggest replacing it with a new energy saving type, if this is a heating/cooling system make sure to purchase a dual system type thermostat. Test system
8. Humidifiers or Dehumidifiers – for free standing units change/clean filters. For furnace mounted humidifiers check, clean or replace the water media pad, or water level on float type humidifiers. Check water line/waste line for leaks. Test operation.
9. Hot Water Heaters – drain about 10 – 15 gallons of water from service valve, located at bottom of water tank, to remove sediment. If water has slight rust color at first this is ok, if after draining more than ten gallons the water is still has a rust color, it is a good sign that the tank is rusting and consider replacement. On natural gas heaters inspect flue pipe that it is secure and has no leaks.
10. Dryer Vents – Open outside vent damper and cleanout lint, use a vacuum cleaner and if possible push the flexible vacuum hose into the vent pipe to clean as far into pipe as possible. Turn on dryer on low heat and run for a few minutes to blow out any loose lint. Check that damper closes freely and test again.
11. Smoke Alarms & Carbon Monoxide Detectors – Clean the cover of dust, change battery and test.
12. Fire Extinguishers – Check inspection tag dates and make sure they are fully charged or purchase new extinguishers.
13. Basement Sump Pump – Check that it operates by filling sump area with water and visually inspect check valve for leaks.
14. Water Filters – Not necessarily a winter item, but check the dates of water filters on water dispensers or refrigerator and replace if expired.
15. Kitchen and Bathroom Exhaust Fans, Attic Fans – Clean or replace filters, check damper operation, inspect vent covers. Suggestion. If you have an automatic attic fan and it has its own power switch you might want to it turn off the power to it for the winter season. So on those sunny fall or winter days the heat will stay in your attic helping heat the house.
16. Fireplace Chimney – Flue Pipe – Before start up of a wood burning fireplace the flue pipe needs to be inspected for nests or blockage. Open the damper slowly, if there are no signs of pests open fully, it is normal for some dust or ashes to fall into the fireplace. Leave the damper open and get a hair dryer turn it on high heat setting and blow the air up the flue line for 2-3 minutes to start an upward draft.. Next, take a piece of newspaper and hold it near the top of the fire box and light it to see it the flue line is clear and the smoke goes up the flue, check outside also to see the smoke come out of the top of the chimney. If the smoke goes up with no problem most likely the flue pipe is clear. Use caution when you make the first fire of the season and start with small pieces of wood to make sure there are no blockages.
17. GFCI – Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters – test all GFCI outlets and circuits for operation, interior and exterior.
18. Doorbells & Alarm Systems – This might be the perfect time to repair that doorbell that hasn’t worked all year. Test the alarm system.
19. Generators and Backup Power Systems – If you have a backup electric generator have it serviced and test operation.
20. Gutters, Leaders and Splash block – Clean gutters and check that pipe connections are together.
21. Doors and Windows – repair or replace weatherstripping as needed. Remove screens and install glass on storm doors.
22. Garage Door Openers – Repair or replace weather stripping on garage doors. Inspect, adjust and lubricate garage door openers.
23. Snow Blowers & Shovels – Service and test snow blowers or snowblower attachments for lawn tractors, for safe and proper operation and keep fresh fuel stored in a safe place outside. Replace broken snow shovels, brooms and sidewalk ice scrapers. Also make sure you have a snowbrush and ice scrapers for autos.
Make a visual inspection of items listed and make a parts or material list of things you have to purchase or order to perform maintenance. If you cannot do it yourself hire a service person to inspect and startup your heating system for you.
