Fall is the perfect time of year to give your furnace a quick tune-up before the cold weather really sets in. A cleaning and testing in early fall gives you plenty of time to schedule a home furnace repair, if needed, and gets your home ready for that first freeze of the season.

Prepare your furnace for the real Omaha cold with these 5 prep-steps:

1. Put in a new filter

Not only is a clogged furnace filter inefficient, it can cause your unit to overheat. Put in the new filter and set a reminder on your phone or calendar to change it again in a month or two. That way, you’ll never have to wonder when it’s time for the next switch.

2. Give the system a quick clean

Over the summer, dust can gather around your furnace’s coils and airflow components. Before you turn the system on, check for any debris that could impact its performance, and give the unit a quick dust off.

3. Check your thermostat

Turn your thermostat into “heat” mode and listen for your furnace to start up. If it cranks right up, move onto step three. If your unit doesn’t respond to your thermostat’s signals, check out our blog post with three tips for bringing your furnace back to life.

4. Test your carbon monoxide detector

Change the batteries in your carbon monoxide detector and hit the test button to make sure it’s fully operational. While you’re at it, confirm that you have enough CO detectors to protect your whole home in the event of a leak. You should have one on every level of your house, near each bedroom.

5. Schedule your home furnace preventative maintenance and inspection

While any homeowner can replace the filter in their furnace and check their CO detectors, only a licensed and trained furnace repair technician can make sure your system is operating safely and at peak efficiency.

When you book an annual furnace check with Burton, we’ll check every square inch for leaks, give the system a clean and tune-up, and help you reduce your winter energy bills along the way.

To schedule your annual furnace tune-up and maintenance— and enjoy a safer, more efficient furnace— Just Call Burton!