Worried About A Lengthy Heating Failure? What You Can Do Now To Prepare For Winter

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Heating failures, whether due to faulty equipment, a power outage, or unexpectedly running out of fuel, occur hundreds of times each winter. When these failures occur in areas of the country where temperatures routinely fall well below zero for days or weeks at a time, the occupants of the home can find themselves in real danger of hypothermia within minutes. If your furnace system is aging or you would just like to feel more prepared for this type of problem, taking these steps can help your family stay safe, warm, and comfortable during a heating failure. 

Start with the addition of an alternate heat source

The first step in making sure that your home will remain safe for occupancy when the furnace is not working is to add an emergency alternate heat source to the home. One convenient option is to install a ventless gas heater in the home and make sure that there is a full auxiliary tank of fuel to power it. 

Many of these heaters require no venting and can be installed easily on a wall or inside the firebox of a old, non-working wood burning fireplace. When installing this type of heat as a backup heating solution, it is important to choose a room or area of the home where the heat it produces can be easily contained and where the family can gather comfortably when central heat is not working, such as a family room, basement, or living room. 

Switch standard drapes and blinds to insulated versions

Heat loss from windows is a real problem when the furnace is not operating during cold weather and can result in the interior temperatures falling at an increased rate. Switching your existing window coverings to insulated versions now can greatly reduce the rate of heat loss inside your home, should your furnace fail during freezing weather. As a bonus, installing insulated drapes can also help to reduce strain on the air conditioning system during summer months and may even result in lower air conditioning costs. 

Schedule a pre-heating season assessment of your heating system

Preparing your furnace to work reliably during the winter season by having it professionally assessed is a critical step in helping to ensure that it will be less likely to fail your family in freezing weather. Summer and early fall are excellent times to have this done because there will plenty of time to order parts, if needed, or even schedule a furnace replacement, if the assessment shows your current one is unsafe to continue using. To learn more about having your furnace assessed for safety and reliability, homeowners can contact a trusted HVAC contractor in their area. Don't wait until mid-winter to look for a heating replacement--your lives could depend on it. 

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25 June 2018

all about attic ventilation

While sitting in my living room on a hot summer day, I could feel the heat coming through the ceiling out of my attic and making the house warm up more than it should. I crawled up into the attic one evening to find out that the roof vents weren't working any longer because they were clogged with all sorts of debris. Did you know that when this happens, your home's temperature can rise to very uncomfortable levels? Did you know that your home could actually be damaged if the attic isn't well vented? This blog will show you all about attic ventilation.