Trustworthy Heating Tips for a Safe Holiday Season

Thanksgiving and Christmas should be full of joy. Families work so hard to make sure everything is just right, from decorating the house, purchasing, and wrapping gifts, all the way to the yummy food that is lovingly placed in the oven. But with heater fires being one of the most common reasons for house fires, special care needs to be taken. Homeowners can trust TRUST for heating tips for a safe holiday season.

TRUST Heating and Air is your local HVAC Repair and Replacement Company for the Gwinnett County area. So, if you have a problem with your heating, call the friendly and professional staff at Trust Heating and Air.

Special Precautions and Heating Tips

Keep your heating equipment, home, and family safe from the danger of a heater fire by taking the following precautions. After all, the last thing you want is for all that hard work and your home to go up in flames. Not to mention, your family is worth the extra time it takes to be sure the house is secure.

• Always blow out candles and turn off heating equipment other than the central HVAC before leaving home or going to bed. No one wants to wake up to a house fire.
• Keep anything that might be flammable at least 3 feet away from any open flames or heating equipment, including candles, space heaters, furnaces, stoves, and radiators.
• Try not to overload your electrical circuits. Typically, only three sets of lights are allowed to be strung together. Then you will need to get another plug strip to handle the remainder of the lights.
• Use a surge protector on your tree and house lights for added protection.
• Never hang clothing or fabric over lamps to warm them for faster drying or even mood lighting. What may seem like a good idea can rapidly escalate into a fire.
• Inspect cords and connections before using your holiday decorations or space heaters. If there are loose connections, exposed wires, or anything else, opt to repair them or purchase new ones. It is not worth the risk.
• Never use your oven to heat the home. Leaving the oven door open is a safety hazard in several ways.
• And please do not make the mistake of turning on the car to warm it up in the garage. That one time you think you’ll be right back can fill the garage and home with dangerous fumes.

Furthermore, there are several ways you can keep the home safe according to the unit you have chosen to provide heat to the home.

Heating Tips for Space Heaters

A space heater can be ideal for many situations. When the HVAC system does not adequately heat a room, the individual space heaters will reduce strain on the primary system. And if you have that family member that is always cold, you may need one too. So here are our heating tips for a safe holiday season with space heaters.

1. Although it may seem harmless, never use an extension cord with your space heaters. They must be plugged directly into an outlet.
2. Ensure space heaters are unplugged when leaving a room. And if there are children or pets in the house, never leave candles or space heaters unattended.
3. Never store flammable liquids, such as paint thinners, gasoline, or cleaning products near any heat source.
4. If you have a space heater that uses propane or natural gas, consider the following.
   • Make sure there is adequate ventilation. Otherwise, without proper air circulation and adequate supply, you place your family at risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
   • Ensure your heater pilot light is working correctly at the beginning of the season. If you have to keep relighting it, call for professional service.
   • Most critically, if you smell gas or any other fumes, feel dizzy, notice a yellow or flickering pilot light, turn off the heater immediately. And don’t turn it back on again until a technician says it is safe to do so.

Central HVAC Heating Tips

There is no doubt that central heating is the safest way to heat the home. But there are sometimes when the system needs repair or a reset. Here are a few of the safety tips for your heating system.

• Never set the heat to higher than 84 degrees when leaving the house or on vacation. The increased heat can be taxing on the system and encourage hold and mildew growth in the walls.
• Make sure you replace the filters in your system to avoid excess accumulation and fire.
• When you are using the oven, give the heater a little rest. Just turn the heater down a tiny bit. That way, you are conserving energy and not overheating the home. But never use the oven to heat the house solely.
• Keep all furniture and draperies away from the vents. Restricted vents will impede airflow and make you think you need to turn the heat up.
• Be sure to have your HVAC unit serviced in the spring and fall.
• Inspect your HVAC ductwork, too. Holes in the vents cause the warm air to escape and can cause damage to the system.

Fireplace Heating

• Check to be sure the flue is open each time. You never know when another family member has closed it.
• Ensure your fireplace or wood stove has a sturdy screen to keep sparks from flying into the room.
• Of course, make sure blankets and pillows do not end up near the fireplace.
• Teach young children to stay a safe distance from the fireplace at all times.
• And never stuff the fireplace too full. Replace logs and starters as needed.

A Note About Carbon Monoxide

“Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, and poisonous gas that claims over 430 lives a year,” according to Safewise.com. And even small doses of carbon monoxide can damage lungs and even cause death. Without a carbon monoxide detector, it is almost impossible to sense the danger before too late.

Early symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include:

1. Headache
2. Dizziness
3. Nausea
4. Vomiting
5. Shortness of breath
6. And fatigue.

That is why it is critical to install a detector and monitor the heating systems in your home. Here are our heating safety tips for the holiday season pertaining to carbon monoxide.

• Never use your grill or any other fuel-burning appliance indoors or in the garage. If it is too cold to grill outdoors, it is too cold to grill at all.
• Make sure you test your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms every 30 days. Replace them or the batteries when necessary.
• Turn off the gas at the main valve and don’t ignite anything. This includes the use of lights and electrical devices. Then leave the area immediately if you smell gas. Finally, call your local gas company from across the street.

Alternative Heating Tips for the Holiday Season

You may not have thought about it, but there are other ways to keep the home warm in the winter months. Keeping the window blinds open is a straightforward way you can increase interior heat. And remember the switch on the ceiling fan? Remember to reverse it for heat flow.

Heating Tips for Service & Repair During the Holidays

In Georgia, occasionally, you need heating service and repair. Therefore it is a good idea to add regular HVAC maintenance to your list of bi-annual services. Keep your system up and running when you need it with the professionals at TRUST Heating and Air all year long.

HVAC units will benefit from a professional analysis if you are experiencing any of these items:

• Unusually high utility bills
• The system running constantly
• Rooms that are too cold or hot
• Draftiness due to damaged insulation

Trust HVAC’s qualified technicians will perform a professional AC performance evaluation to locate the different elements that impact comfort, performance, and energy efficiency.

Got Heat? Trust Heating and Air Service is On the Way

The qualified technicians at TRUST Heating and Air are ready and waiting to assist with your HVAC service and repairs. If you need an estimate for one of our services, we will be happy to come to your home to give your system a thorough check. We want you and your family to not just stay cozy and warm this winter but also to enjoy the holidays as you should.

Contact TRUST Heating and AC to schedule an appointment today.