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Furnace safety and the fall heating check

Winter nights in the valley often drop into the 30s and 40s. A gas furnace that sat idle all summer deserves a quick safety check before the first cold snap.

What a heating check covers

• Burners cleaned and flame checked
• Heat exchanger inspected for cracks
• Flue and venting checked for blockages
• Carbon monoxide test around the furnace
• Safety switches and ignition tested
• Filter replaced

Carbon monoxide basics

• Install carbon monoxide alarms on every level of the home and outside sleeping areas.
• Test them monthly and replace batteries yearly.
• If an alarm sounds, get everyone outside and call 911.

Heat pumps

Heat pumps heat and cool, so they run almost year-round. A fall check catches wear from the summer before you need heat.