By Jason Strough, HVAC Sales and Project Manager of Edelman’s Inc.
It’s time to get your heating system in order. — Have a licensed professional do this!
Have a licensed HVAC contractor come out and clean/check your heating system. This is more than just replacing a dirty filter. This is having someone clean and check your entire system which can provide invaluable information about it’s efficiency and working order, and ultimately save you a service call when it’s below zero... and on the weekend... How it almost always seems to go!
Drain your outdoor faucets and unhook your garden hoses. - You can do this yourself!
This one gets overlooked a lot but can lead to devastating damage if left alone. Water expands when frozen which means when it’s still in the exterior faucets (hose bibs) it can freeze and crack water lines. Most outdoor faucets have a shut-off valve indoors. After shutting off the outdoor faucets, drain the remaining water and rest assured that you won’t have a broken water line filling up your basement while you’re away for a weekend!
Double check your alarms and detectors. - You can do this yourself!
It’s also the time of year when indoor fireplaces and gas appliances are ramping up their usage. Check to make sure you have a smoke/CO alarm in every bedroom or in the hallway directly outside the bedrooms. This is actually code in most areas and can end up saving lives!
Clean your gutters. - You can do this yourself, and make sure you’re safe!
As the leaves fall, they tend to clog the drains of your gutters. This can lead to water gathering near the foundation of your home, and possibly damage to your roof and/or siding. Cleaning out your gutters can be a DIY project but safety first! If your ladder isn’t tall enough or you tend to be accident-prone, you may want to hire this one out! Ladder accidents are common when cleaning gutters and can lead to severe injuries. Be smart and safe!
Add weatherstripping to doors and check your windows for air leaks. - DIY + Handyman
You can save a fortune in energy bills this heating season just by sealing up the doors and windows of their draftiness. This could mean adding weatherstripping on the doors and adding insulation around the windows. A handyman can pop the trim off easily enough to add some insulation for the windows and you won’t see the curtains moving on breezy nights anymore!
Good Luck and Happy Fall from the Edelman Team!