Although it’s not cold outside yet, it will be. The last thing you want to do is wait till it’s cold outside to find out if your heating system is operating properly or not. The most important thing we can suggest is to have a certified HVAC technician tuneup your heating system. He will do the obvious things such as change your air filter and more importantly, he’ll be checking your system for any kind of safety issues. During these checks the technician measures volts and amps on the components within your heating system. By doing this, he can see if something is starting to go bad, which could prevent much larger (more expensive) issues later. By having your system maintained properly you are also helping to keep your operating costs down.

The next thing we suggest going into the cold season is to invest in a generator. In the event that we have bad winter weather with possible power outages, you want to make sure you can still run a space heater and cook warm meals. Make sure you keep heavy blankets and candles in an easily accessible location for emergency use.

Since  the cost of natural gas keeps rising, the Department of Energy recommends R-49 insulation which is about 17″ of blown in insulation. This is a huge jump from just a few years ago when the rating was R-38. Add more insulation to your attic.

Lastly, we recommend you create a fire escape plan. There are quite a few appliances that cause fire hazards during the cold months. Hope for the best, take proper precautions and prepare for the worst. Invest in fire escape ladders for bedrooms.