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How to prepare your furnace for Winter

by | Nov 27, 2022 | Heating

The weather outside is getting frightful, so keep the inside of your home delightful. With cold fronts on the horizon it’s time to check your home’s furnace to make sure it’s ready for winter!

A typical Tulsa winter is unpredictable to say the least! We can have days in the 30’s followed by days in the 70’s! Besides needing your A/C in the winter, you’ll also need your heater. If it hasn’t run yet this year, now is the time to check on things and make sure they’re in working order. Here’s a quick list of what to look for so you’re ready for the change of seasons.

Check & Change your Air Filter

Clogged filters are one of the largest causes of poor heat in your home. If air doesn’t circulate through your system properly your heat will be lacking when it really gets cold! Not to mention the drop in efficiency from clogged filters.

Filters can be hard to find at times depending on how your heating system is setup. Some common places to find the filter are on the front of the furnace, behind a grate on your ceiling, or on the wall. It could also be located up in your attic!

It’s recommended to change the filters in your home every 90 days! If you’re having trouble finding yours give us a call, our pros at Dowd are happy to help, we can even check your full system over!

Run your heater before it gets cold outside

If your heater hasn’t run this year it’s time to get it up and running.

It may seem simple, but running your heater before it gets really cold outside is one of the best ways to check things over. If it needs repairs it’s better to find out on a moderate day than on the coldest day of the year!

Some things to look for once your heater is running are strange smells, odd noises, and carbon monoxide. Your heating system can seem complicated, if you have any questions about it feel free to reach out to us for help!

Check Your Thermostat

Does your thermostat run on batteries? If so when is the last time those got replaced?

Thermostat batteries are one of our most common replacement items. Save yourself the time and money of a service call and check those batteries before the winter!

Other things to look for are how your thermostat is set. What temperature are you comfortable at in the winter time? The recommended ideal home temperature in winter according to Energy.gov is 68 degrees Fahrenheit.

Another great thing to check is your Thermostat schedule. When you’re away you can lower the temperature in your home to save on energy costs! Creating a schedule around your times at home is a great way to save on energy. Depending on your needs a smart thermostat can also be a great investment!

Inspect your safety devices

Have you tested your carbon monoxide and smoke detectors recently?

Safety devices in your home are a key part of staying comfortable in the winter as well! When your furnace / heater is running it can produce carbon monoxide gas. This gas needs to be properly ventilated away from your home. Breathing carbon monoxide gas is not good for your health!

Most devices are easy to test, simply find the test button on the device and ensure it alerts you properly! If your detectors have replaceable batteries now is a great time to replace those as well, there’s nothing more frustrating than that beeping smoke detector in the middle of the night and not having new batteries on hand.

Schedule Regular Maintenance on Your Furnace

When was the last time you had your Furnace and heating system components inspected by an HVAC technician?

If you’re not happy with the answer you should add an inspection to your list of to-dos before it gets cold outside.

It’s recommended to get your heating system checked at least once a year. Don’t go without heat in the cold winter months by putting things off until your system breaks. Our licensed technicians will generate a full report of your HVAC system’s health. If any minor maintenance is needed along the way we’re here to help! Our technicians can also let you know if a replacement is in your future, and help get the most out of your existing heating system.

The peace of mind in knowing your home will be comfortable and warm this winter is priceless.

Let Us Help Keep Your Furnace in Tip-Top Shape

Call Dowd Heat & Air at (918) 437-3721 to get your heater checked, an expert’s opinion, or an estimate for repairs.

We can also quote you on a new furnace, or heater while pricing favorable!

Keep your home or business comfortable this winter with Dowd Heat & Air.

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Ami Williams

...Grateful is too small for a word to use but describes best how I feel about Dowd Heat and Air.

“I’ve never experienced such honesty in a field where they could have not been. My a/c quit working, so they came out to look at it. I know nothing about a/c units whatsoever and I thought I was going to have to purchase a new unit. I was so surprised when the nice gentleman told me it just needed to be cleaned out. He was there 10 minutes and left. Grateful is too small for a word to use but describes best how I feel about Dowd Heat and Air.”

Ami Williams

Patricia Fisher

...We highly recommend Dowd Heat & Air.

“Dowd Heat and Air saved the day! They pretty much reinstalled our new unit that was installed incorrectly and made it right. Terry invested his time in explaining to us the problems and what he would do to fix them. Rusty and his team was professional, courteous and clean. They cleaned up so well, you couldn’t even tell they had been there. We highly recommend Dowd Heat & Air.”

Patricia Fisher

Butch Payton

...I would recommend Dowd heating and AC to anybody.

“We purchased a new hearing and air conditioning system a couple years ago, and let me just say that the installation went very smooth and was done very professionally and service after the fact has been the best!!! I would recommend Dowd heating and AC to anybody in need of a new system! Service is right on, thanks for the prompt professional job!!”

Butch Payton

Doug Longnecker

...I have nothing but good things to say about Dowd Heat & Air.

“Rick came out and fixed a shaking problem for me; in a very timely, and professional manner. I have nothing but good things to say about Dowd Heat & Air”

Doug Longnecker

Andrea B

...Dowd Heat & Air have been our go-to in the past couple of years.

“Great service and would highly recommend. They will even come out on a Sat. without the crazy fees. They have been our go-to in the past couple of years”

Andrea B.

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