Getting Ready to Use Your Heating System
Happy November! It really is hard to believe that 2021 is almost over. Thanksgiving is a little more than 3 weeks away. That also means Christmas is a mere 52 days away.
While the excitement of the holidays is approaching, there is also cold and freezing weather that is also coming (if it isn’t already there!). For us in the South, most of us welcome a cold front, but before you turn on your heater, you need to prepare accordingly.
Did you know that the one of the most common causes of home or business fires is turning on your furnace after it’s been off for a while? Before you make the switch, there are several factors that you should consider.
- Change out your air filter or make sure that it is clean! Proper air filtration is essential for keeping your furnace running correctly. This also improves Indoor Air Quality. Your furnace and duct system are responsible for circulating warm air throughout your home. If you have a dirty filter or your furnace is struggling to keep up, your air quality can be negatively affected, and it has to work harder to heat your home. This often leads to overheating and system malfunction.
- You should also test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. This is especially important if you have a battery powered system in place. Brush the dust off of them and make sure you switch out old batteries.
- Tidy up the area around your furnace. Make sure there are no big boxes, totes, other flammable objects or belongings stored too close or stacked near the system. It is also important to mop and sweep the floor. Wiping around it with a rag or paper towel will lessen the potential burnt smell.
- Make sure that no furniture or objects are blocking the heating vents throughout your home or facility.
- Does your heater vent out of the sidewall of your home or through a chimney? Clear this of all debris that could potentially be a fire hazard.
- Don’t wait until it gets really cold to test your heating system, the earlier the better. It’s better to do a pre-season check to get any issues fixed beforehand!
Turning Your Furnace On
Whenever you turn your heater on for the first time in a season, it is normal for you to smell a burnt scent. You can just imagine all of the dust that has settled in your vents as the hotter months have gone by. All of this immediately burns when you turn on your furnace. If the smell lingers for more than a few hours, you should have it evaluated by a professional. In addition, if the heater is seemingly struggling to run or making unusual noises, you should turn it off. It is likely that the blower needs to be serviced.
The Team That’s Always There
Guarantee Restoration Services has been the leading property damage restoration company along the Gulf Coast since 1974. We understand that no matter how much you prepare or maintain your heating system, sometimes accidents happen. No matter the size of the fire loss, our team at Guarantee Restoration Services has one goal – to get your property and business back to normal operations as quickly and efficiently as possible.
We are available 24/7, which is not just a number, it’s a GUARANTEE. For more information about our services, visit www.GuaranteeRestoration.com. If you have a water, fire or mold loss, please give us a call at 1-800-349-HELP (4357) or email info@guaranteerestoration.net.
Zack Klein
Director of Marketing and Business Development
225-268-6939
Zack Klein is the Director of Marketing and Business Development at Guarantee Restoration Services. He celebrated his 7th anniversary with the company in June 2021. To connect with him, visit LinkedIn or send him an email.
