Best Choices for Home Heating

Central heating may seem like the simplest option, which it is, but you also want to stay safe this winter by knowing your system. When you know the inner workings of your heating unit and how to keep safe, you can proudly be prepared for any obstacles you may face. 

This doesn’t mean you need to know about the inner workings of heat pumps, fan coil units, evaporators, heat transfer settings or the difference between four stage and two stage cooling and heating. If you don’t have a ductless mini-split system, then there is no need to know how they work, but you should know a few things about how residential heating and air flows through your home.

Did you know that heating equipment is responsible for up to 14% of all fires, annually? This doesn’t seem like much, but this percentage represents over 50,000 heating equipment driven fires. The facts were taken directly from NFPA.org, the National Fire Protection Association.

Basic precautions

Central heating isn’t as dangerous as woodstoves and fireplaces, but it’s better to be safe than sorry. We’ve curated a few tips for you and basic precautions to keep in mind this winter with your heating. 

1) Read the manual; learn the system. 

This may sound odd, as you may not be a maintenance type, but when you become familiar with the system you’re using, you’ll be able to identify when it’s fully functioning and when it’s not. Knowing the difference could save you a lot of money, as you don’t have to call any HVAC technicians to take a look at it. You can also prevent any mishaps with your system and prevent safety hazards when you know how it works.

2) Detector tests throughout your home

You may already do this, or you might not have any idea what we’re talking about, but it’s important to do a monthly detector test throughout your home. This is where you schedule a time to go around to each detector and test to see if it’s functioning fully and if the batteries are working. This includes:

• Smoke detectors
  
• Carbon monoxide detectors
  

3) Take other safety precautions

When we say this, we mean that you should take other precautions around your home to create the safest environment possible. This means that you should look into installing fire extinguishers in each level of your home. Having easy access to an extinguisher on each level can help prevent the rapid spread of fire. Also make sure to equip one in rooms that are more likely to see fire, including your kitchen or any workspace you have that involves heat, tools and possible fire. 

This also means you should have an evacuation plan set and prepared for just incase a fire occurs from your central heating system. If you use other heating systems like woodstoves, gas furnaces, fireplaces and more, the above tips are extremely detrimental to your safety this winter. 

In conclusion 

We hope the tips above have helped you with insight on how to stay safe this winter, no matter what type of heating system you may use. Central heating is one of the safest, but it’s always better to be prepared.  Always make sure to have your central heating installed by a trusted professional with reputable credentials to prevent any mishaps or illegal installations.