Don’t Let Your Home Heating Unit Give You The Cold Shoulder

Nov. 2, 2009 - PRLog -- It’s the time of the year when temperatures can drop suddenly, so we really need to count on our furnace/ heating systems to turn on.  Think about what it would be like if you sat around for four to seven months without doing anything. You may not feel like getting back up if someone asked you to do something.  One out of 50 furnaces will feel the same way on the first cold night, and they won’t start either!

Indoor Environmental Comfort Expert Gary Parr offers the following tips on how to prepare your heater for the colder weather:

Have your Heating System Inspected Annually
You furnace is no different than a car—it needs regular maintenance.  Your entire furnace/heating/cooling system should be checked twice a year—once for the cooling season and once again prior to the heating season.  Here's what a licensed contractor should do:

1.   Inspect blower motor.
2.   Inspect exposed vent piping.
3.   Inspect and test safety devices, switches and controls.
4.   Inspect exposed gas piping and fittings.
5.   Inspect heat exchanger.

Check the Obvious
If your furnace WON’T start and you've had it inspected, check the obvious before calling a contractor:

1.   Check to make sure the thermostat is set to "HEAT."
2.   Check the power switch in the attic (looks like a light switch) to make sure it is on.
3.   Check the breaker (in your main breaker panel) to make sure it is on.
4.   Check to make sure the gas valve is on.
5.   Check your filters.

When to Call a Local Contractor
Finally, if you’re not comfortable checking any of these things, or if you have checked for the obvious and still can't find a problem, call a Licensed Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) professional.  

For more information and/or to set up an interview with Gary Parr, contact Lisa Dimond Vasquez at 713-426-4111, 713-828-5825 (cell) or lisa@doubledimondpr.com.

Indoor Environmental Comfort Expert  Gary Parr is the co-host of the Thirty Green Radio Show, a call-in show based on Thirty Ways to Cut Energy Costs 30%. It airs each Saturday on Houston's KSEV 700AM.

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