Don't Turn Your Furnace On This Fall Until You Check These 5 Things (Or Pay for It First Cold Night)

Before you turn on your furnace this fall, take a few minutes to check these five things—and potentially avoid an expensive emergency on the first freezing night. This video walks through simple, low-cost furnace checks you can handle yourself, including replacing the air filter, testing carbon monoxide alarms, clearing indoor vents and outdoor exhaust pipes, changing thermostat batteries, and running a test cycle. You’ll also learn what a healthy furnace flame should look like, when a warning sign means you should call a professional, and what questions to ask a heating company about a proper tune-up. Most importantly, these checks are about safety and prevention—not selling you a new furnace. Do the cheap, safe checks while the weather is mild, and get professional help before a small problem becomes a cold-weather emergency.