Why Now Is the Time to Do Your Pre-Winter Furnace Maintenance Checkup

With the onset of climate change, every season brings its surprises. But one thing we can still count on here in the far north is an extended period of cold weather each and every year.

If you are new to Canadian winters, you may be tempted to take this with a grain of salt. We advise you not to. Winter can be very hard on people as well as on their heating appliances.

Which is why now is definitely the time to put your heating plans in place. What is on your heating to do list? Do you need to upgrade your furnace? Schedule preventative furnace maintenance? Ponder a minor or major furnace repair or upgrade? Let's talk about it!

Understanding Ontario Winter Weather

You might be reading this because you are new to Ontario, Canada, and have heard some pretty drastic stories, but aren't really sure what to expect this winter.

The first thing we want to say is - give yourself five stars for being so proactive!

The second thing we want you to know is - most of those stories are probably true.

Canada's winters are both the reason for the annual influx of snow sports enthusiasts and the annual migration south of those who love warmth.

So if you are new here, consider this question: how warm do you like to be in winter?

Then consider this question: how well is your current house set up to keep you warm? And here we are not just talking about warm at zero degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit)

We are talking about potentially anywhere from -4C to -50C (24.8F to -58F). Can your current furnace, heat pump or heating boiler handle temps like these?

It may only get down to these low temperatures for a day or few here and there, but we guarantee if you are not ready those will be the coldest days of your life to date. So be sure you are ready!

Preventative Furnace Maintenance Is Key

Another key consideration when preparing for a Canadian winter is to take a look at how well your furnace, heat pump or boiler does under pressure....literally.

You can expect to be using whatever heating system you have every single day starting around mid-October and potentially continuing through March or even April.

Can your furnace handle the heat? If you answered "yes," how would you know for sure?

When was the last time you had your heating equipment serviced? Preventative furnace maintenance isn't only important to give your whole heating system a thorough cleaning, which avoids dangerous dust burn-off that can lead to awful odors and home fires.

It is also vital to identify small furnace repair or maintenance needs that can suddenly implode and plunge your family into the bitter cold right in the middle of winter.

If you own a newer heating appliance, preventative furnace maintenance can also be critical to keep your warranty active. Check your warranty to be sure you are meeting minimum maintenance criteria to avoid denied claims if something goes wrong.

Perhaps the most important reason to schedule preventative furnace maintenance is to check your carbon monoxide levels inside the house. Carbon monoxide has earned its reputation as the "silent killer." You can't see it or smell it coming and once it affects you, you won't have time to react. Carbon monoxide poisoning is quickly fatal.

If you don't currently have a carbon monoxide detector installed, your Bi-Temp service technician can help you with that essential addition during your preventative furnace maintenance call.

Indoor Air Quality and Humidity Balance This Winter

A newer concern in the wake of the pandemic is indoor air quality and adequate indoor humidity. Winter is typically a very dry season here in Canada. Indoor humidity levels can easily decline to 10 percent or lower.

This is well below the 40 to 60 percent humidity range now being recommended by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to help reduce the risk of contracting COVID and seasonal flu.

And, of course, even higher indoor humidity can only do so much to protect you when your indoor air quality itself is low. Poor indoor air quality makes your immune system work harder and lowers your resistance to all kinds of health challenges.

So here's another question to consider - when was the last time you changed out your furnace air filter? This is one of the checkpoints in every preventative furnace maintenance service call. If your air filter is dirty, your air is also dirty.

Winter is the season when we spend the most time indoors. This means it is also the season when your indoor air humidity balance and purity matters most. This is especially important to remember for anyone in your family who may be very young, elderly or immunocompromised.

Want to Lower Your Energy Bills?

Did you know there is a direct relationship between preventative furnace maintenance and winter heating bills?

The longer your heating equipment goes without a tune-up, the higher your energy bills are likely to become.

This is because preventative furnace maintenance identifies the exact kinds of internal issues that can cause heating bills to skyrocket.

Air leaks. Incomplete combustion. Dirty air filters. Thermostat recalibration.

Here in Canada, most homeowners report spending up to 61 percent of their annual home energy budget on heating.

What if you could bring that down to even 50 percent? Would it be worth spending a hundred bucks or so if you end up saving more than double that?

Give us a call!

Contact Bi-Temp Heating and Cooling in Belleville, Ontario

Bi-Temp Heating and Cooling in Belleville, Ontario, is celebrating 50 years of serving all your HVAC needs!

And here at Bi-Temp, the way we serve you is everything. Our service technicians are professional in every way and experienced at installing, maintaining and repairing all makes and models of HVAC system equipment.

Give us a call at 1-613-967-1066 or visit us online to schedule your furnace maintenance appointment.