It’s that time of year where we start feeling grateful for our family and friends. Their health is always at the top of the list, and your home’s health can affect your physical health.
We’ve come up with a few things to help you make the healthiest home for your family:
- Indoor air quality– When is the last time your replaced your filter? Do you know where your filter is located? Do want information on best practices for air filtration? Check out our previous post on how to choose the best HVAC filter for your home.
- Inspect your home for drafts- Is your fireplace damper closed when not being used? Did you know bathroom fans and ceiling can lights can have gaps that create air leaks to the attic? How’s the weather stripping around your exterior doors?
- Check your water heater for leaks. What temperature is the tank set to? You can usually set your water heater down a notch in the winter to save money.
- Cover any exposed pipes outside to keep them from freezing in the upcoming cold winter temperatures.
- Smoke and Carbon Monoxide detectors- When did you last change the batteries? The newer alarms are 10 year battery-free, so they need to be replaced every ten years. Check the manufacturer date on the back. Replace as needed. All bedrooms are required to have a smoke alarm. Every floor of the home is required to have a carbon monoxide detector. A small investment for large peace of mind.
- Thermostat batteries should be replaced annually as well (if it isn’t hard- wired). Make sure you gently rub the metal contacts to make sure they are free from corrosion as well. Not sure how? Check out our video here.
- Do you have a family emergency plan? Do you know how to exit the home in case of fire or natural disaster? What about a safe meeting place for everyone? Have a family member’s contact information from out of state for everyone to call (when local phone lines go down you can sometimes call out of area).
- Is your emergency kit stocked- flashlights, batteries, first aid kits. This is a great time of year to make sure everything is fresh. In your car, you should also have things like water and blankets in the winter. For more information on creating emergency plans, the home disaster make a plan page is a great resource.
- Keep an eye out for signs that your furnace is struggling. Is your furnace old and noisy? Are some rooms colder than others? Has your furnace been working over-time to keep up leading to higher heating bills? These are signs you may need to get a furnace tune-up to make sure your heat is working properly and safely.
At Perfection Home Systems, we are here for you. Call us today at (916)481-0658 to make an appointment if you need a tune-up, repair, or if you are considering replacement of your central heating system, we can help!