COLORADO SPRINGS – As the cold begins to move in, many folks are firing up their furnaces for the first time in months.
One struggling family who needed a new one got a helping hand from a local heating company.
An 82-year-old woman in Colorado Springs couldn’t afford to replace hers, so the Lennox company and local installers HVAC Solutions stepped in, installing and donating a brand new furnace as part of the “Feel the Love” program, which awards free heating equipment to families in need across the country.
“Lennox donates a furnace to a family in need and six of my employees were gracious enough to spend and dedicate their time today to change a furnace out,” said Tim Donegan, President and Owner of HVAC Solutions.
The company also took the opportunity to share some safety tips everyone should know to keep their furnace in good shape and avoid any potential hazards.
And with the colder temperatures moving in, “there is quite a bit of demand,” Donegan added.
The first tip: inspect your furnace annually.
“Make sure you have your furnaces cleaned yearly,” Donegan said.
“That’s really important.”
While cleaning, look at your filters to see if they need to be replaced.
If they’re clogged, your furnace might not be running as well as it could.
“You’re not getting that air flow through your homes,” said Kevin Fisk with Colorado Springs Utilities.
“So you’re not going to heat your home efficiently.”
Most importantly, CSU says in light of recent hail storms, it’s critical to check your vents.
“We had a very heavy hail season this year,” Fisk explained.
“[So] it’s a good idea to have a heating contractor check the vent caps on your home to make sure that it’s not smashed down.”
If it’s smashed down, there’s no where for the carbon monoxide to go.
“Carbon monoxide does not come out of the home, that’s a problem,” Donegan warned.
“People can die.”
And it doesn’t hurt to have extra layers of security.
“Carbon monoxide detectors on every level of your home,” Fisk recommended.
If you have CO detectors, make sure they’re not past their expiration date and replace batteries as needed.
If you do smell gas, or your CO detector goes off, get outside and call 911 immediately.
And if you’re looking for a reputable company to service your furnace, CSU recommends checking out the better business bureau for a list of reliable businesses.
