Preventing Plumbing ProblemsPreventing Plumbing Problems

Winter and cold temperatures are almost here, which results in turning up the heat. You should take steps now to ensure you can keep your family warm and toasty this winter. Below are some tips to help you get started doing this.

Furnace Maintenance

If you have a furnace as a source of heat, hire a contractor to provide maintenance for it. The contractor will turn up the thermostat to make the furnace comes on. This allows them to see if the flame is working in the burner. The flame should be blue and steady. If it is yellow and flickering, the flame is not getting enough oxygen. This is generally due to a dirty or malfunctioning air intake valve.

After doing this, the gas will be turned off and the contractor will clean and dust the inside of the furnace. Once clean, they will check the fan belt to ensure there are no cracks or fraying. They will push down on the belt to check the tension. If it does not feel tight of if there is damage, the belt will be replaced. The contractor will replace the filter. To keep the home in your air clean, you should change the filter on your own approximately once a month.

If your furnace is old, this would be a good time to replace it. The furnace maintenance contractor can help you determine if this is something you should do.

Snow on the Roof

After it snows you should not see a large amount of snow on your roof if your attic is properly ventilated.  If you do see snow here, hire a contractor to add more insulation to your attic. If you have a home that has a roof with a low slope, this makes it more difficult to insulate so you may have a continual snow buildup problem. Snow building up on your roof will cause the temperatures in your home to cool down, which would result in your furnace having to working harder to maintain the right temperature. Fortunately, you can keep the snow off the roof on your own.

To keep you from having to climb up on the roof, you can purchase a roof rake. This product has rollers so your shingles are protected and it has an extension pole so you can reach high on your roof.  You can purchase this product online or at some home improvement stores.

Besides these tips, make sure you home is properly sealed by checking the weather stripping around doors and the sealant around windows. For more information, contact local professionals like Mitchell Plumbing & Heating Inc.