Check Heater Before Use?

Do I have to have someone check my heater every year before I can use it?

Sammy, Gulfport

My first answer is no. However,  we find every year there are those who take the time to prepare for winter and those, for all our human reasons, (you fill in the blank), that will wait until the first good hard freeze to find out their heating system doesn’t work properly.

If you have a fairly young heating system and have not had any problems with it in the past, then I would turn it on for 5 to 10 minutes BEFORE IT GETS COLD, to make sure it works. You can always schedule your checkup later in the season.

If you have an older system or have had problems in the past, I recommend a checkup  early in the season, before it gets cold.

If you have a gas furnace I recommend scheduling a checkup before the season.

If you have electric strip heat you can turn it on NOW and let the dust burn off, if it appears to be working fine, you can wait until later in the season for a checkup.

If you have a heat pump and it cooled well this past summer with no problems, it is recommended that you wait until the weather is much cooler, so we can properly perform a thorough checkup. If it did not cool well, then chances are, it will not heat properly, so you should call for service as soon as possible.

Everyone, please go turn on your heat for 5 – 10 minutes today and  make sure it works.

You can then decide whether you need to schedule a checkup now or later using the guidelines I have provided. The first cold snap is just around the corner; call your loved ones to make sure they are ready too.

If you have no heat or would like to schedule a planned checkup please give us a call at 832-9457.