Before Heating Season, Review What Happened Last Winter

Before you depend on the furnace again, revisit the problems you noticed during the last heating season. A room that stayed cold or equipment that repeatedly stopped can be easy to forget once the weather warms. Put those details in writing while planning service.

Handle danger before planning a visit

A gas odor requires leaving the area immediately. Avoid operating switches, phones, or anything that could spark in the affected area. From a safe location, call 911 and your gas utility. Enbridge Gas North Carolina publishes these gas-leak precautions. Do not search for the leak or operate gas valves.

If a carbon-monoxide alarm sounds or CO poisoning is suspected, get everyone outside to fresh air and call 911. CPSC provides carbon-monoxide safety guidance. Do not wait for a website reply.

Prepare a useful heating note

Record which rooms were uncomfortable, when shutdowns occurred, and any displayed messages. Include the thermostat settings you normally use and invoices from earlier visits. If a reset seemed necessary more than once, tell the technician rather than repeating it as a seasonal routine.

Check only the accessible filter and normal user controls according to the equipment instructions. Keep storage clear of equipment and openings. Leave combustion compartments, gas adjustments, wiring, and safety devices to qualified professionals.

Agree on the assessment

Ask what the planned visit covers and how additional diagnostic or repair work would be explained and authorized. Request an account of the findings and any operation instructions specific to your system. A normal thermostat display alone does not establish that a furnace is safe.

M&A schedules heating service in Winston-Salem and the Triad Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m., excluding holidays. Request a heating assessment for non-emergency concerns. We do not offer emergency or after-hours service; immediate hazards belong with emergency responders and the utility.