TOPEKA (KSNT) – Experts are saying preventative maintenance is important to get started early when it comes to heating your home.
Even though it still feels warm outside, fall is around the time people are encouraged to start checking their heating systems before it gets cold to make sure everything is working properly.
“Oftentimes when you first turn it on, it will smell a little bit stinky,” said owner and president of DeBacker’s INC, Greg DeBacker. “That’s dust burning off of it. And, you know, if you have a gas furnace, it’s good to have it checked. Electric furnaces say if you have a heat pump, make sure that the outdoor heat pump is clean. Make sure your furnace filter is changed.”
DeBacker said when it comes to yearly checkups, the heat exchanger should be prioritized, making sure all the controls are working correctly, as well as checking your furnace filter and making sure it has a fresh filter from last winter.
“High-efficiency one,” DeBacker said. “This is what we call a five-inch filter. And this can be changed maybe once or twice a year. It depends on your environment. If you have two dogs and five kids, you may have to change your filter more often. If there are just two of you in the home, the filter doesn’t get quite as dirty.”
‘An unspoken stigma’: Local firemen shine a light on the mental challenges, resources being on duty
Make sure your smoke detectors are working properly and have batteries that are charged. With that comes working carbon monoxide detectors. Carbon monoxide is odorless and deadly if a person is exposed to it.
“Heating equipment is one of the leading causes of home fires,” said Jane Blocher with the American Red Cross. “In fact, during our colder months, we typically see an increase of up to 30% in fire responses due to heating equipment.”
According to the American Red Cross, if a fire starts, people typically have less than two minutes to evacuate. It is recommended you practice your fire escape plan in advance.
If you smell gas at all when turning on your heating devices, you should call your gas company or the fire department.
For more local news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here.
