Category: Furnace and Heating

6 Fall Tips to Keep Your Home Cozy & Safe

Posted on September 12, 2019 by Jason

The secret to keeping your home cozy throughout a chilly Cincinnati winter is all in the preparation. You have to plan to keep the cold air out and the warm air in. The team at Herrmann Services has created this checklist to help you cover all the bases when it comes to comfort. Follow these tips and you’ll stay snug and warm till the daffodils start to bloom.

Keep Old Man Winter Outside Where He Belongs

The first goal is keeping the cold air out. Here are some things to address:

1. Add Weatherstripping around Your Windows and Doors

Check the weatherstripping around all of your windows and doors and replace it if it is showing signs of brittleness or is smashed down flat. If you don’t have weatherstripping, it’s easy to install and affordable too. Just pick some up at your neighborhood home improvement store. This quick and inexpensive fix can dramatically reduce your heating bills this winter. Plus, it will help you save on your air conditioning bills next summer, too.

2. Check Your Attic Insulation

This is one of the smartest investments you can make in your home. According to the Energy Star website, “If you added up all the leaks, holes and gaps in a typical home’s envelope, it would be the equivalent of having a window open every day of the year!” Wow! When you think of it that way, it really makes sense. Insulation can also settle over time, so if you haven’t checked yours in a while, now is a great time to make sure you have enough. These tips show you where and how to check your home for the right amount of insulation.

The next step is keeping warm air in. That means making sure your furnace is running at peak efficiency and will continue to heat your home effectively. There are two things you can do to ensure it will work all winter without a problem.

Your Furnace Needs Some Love

Your furnace sits all summer, but as your air conditioner runs, it collects dirt and dust from the air all summer long. It’s important to start with a clean filter to help your furnace run efficiently. Not to mention, a dirty furnace filter doesn’t keep your air very clean and your home will be closed up for months at a time during winter.

3. Change Your Furnace Filter

Changing the filter in your furnace is a quick, inexpensive task that can make a noticeable difference in your utility bills and the lifespan of your furnace. All of the air going into your furnace and coming back out passes through the filter. If your filter is clogged with dirt, it slows down that airflow and can cause pressure and heat to build up within your furnace. At the very least, a dirty filter will lessen the efficiency of your furnace. Plus, changing your air filter helps to prevent more serious problems down the road, like breakdowns that can cost you a lot more money than regular maintenance would.

4. Schedule Your Furnace Tune-Up

Now is the time to get your furnace tune-up. During a furnace tune-up, a technician will check the electrical connections, calibrate the thermostat, check for carbon monoxide leaks, and make sure your furnace is operating properly. An annual tune-up can reduce your utility bill by making sure your furnace is running efficiently and it will also reduce the chance of a breakdown in the middle of winter.

Don’t Forget These Critical Items

There are a couple of other areas you want to make sure you don’t forget to check before winter. While these aren’t as related to the temperature in your home, they are certainly critical pieces of home equipment that shouldn’t be overlooked.

5. Check Your Sump Pump before the Fall Rains

A sump pump is one of your home’s most critical machines. Once your basement or lower level is flooded, it’s too late to make sure it’s working properly. Make sure to check it every couple of months. It’s fast and easy to check. Just follow these instructions. Checking your sump pump before the big rains can save you a lot of hassle and a lot of money.

A great addition to your sump pump is a battery-backup sump pump. Unfortunately, when thunderstorms are often accompanied by power outages, which means your sump pump can’t work without electricity. A battery-backup pump will run whether there is electricity or not and can even kick in to help your main pump if demand becomes too much for it.

6. Change Batteries in CO Detectors & Smoke Alarms

Another critical item to check is your carbon monoxide detectors and smoke alarms. Did you remember to do this in the spring? It’s a good idea to replace the batteries in all of your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors at least once a year. Nothing is more important than keeping your family safe.

Check these 6 areas this fall and enjoy a warm, cozy, and safe home this winter!

Contact us today at (513) 407-5177 to schedule a furnace tune-up or a sump pump repair or replacement.

Save Up to $200 a Year with a Programmable Thermostat

Posted on May 13, 2019 by Jason

saving money with a programmable thermostat.

The average American household spends about $2,000 annually on heating and cooling costs. Would you like to keep some of that money in your pocket instead? We have two words for you – programmable thermostat. The crew here at Herrmann Services has installed many for our customers and they really like the convenience and savings.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, you can save as much as 10% a year on heating and cooling by simply turning your thermostat back 7°-10°F for 8 hours a day from its normal setting. Let’s do the math – 10% of $2,000 is about $200 in savings every year. That’s worth looking into!

Programmable Thermostats – Set It and Forget It

What makes programmable thermostats so wonderful is that they are so easy to use. All you do is adjust the times you turn on the heating or air-conditioning according to a pre-set schedule. Once it’s set, you can forget about it and it will continue to heat and cool your home to the temperatures you specified at the times you pre-programmed. Programmable thermostats can store and repeat multiple daily settings (six or more temperature settings a day). But what if you want to change that schedule? No problem, you can manually override what is programmed without affecting the rest of the daily or weekly program.

Thermostat Settings for the Highest Savings

You can easily save energy in the winter by setting the thermostat to 68°F during daytime hours and setting it lower while you’re asleep or away from home. In the summer, you can follow the same strategy with your air conditioner. Keep your house warmer than normal when you are away, and then set the thermostat to 78°F only when you are at home and need cooling. Set your thermostat at as high a temperature as comfortably possible and ensure humidity control if needed. The smaller the difference between the indoor and outdoor temperatures, the lower your overall cooling bill will be.

Tips for Setting Your Programmable Thermostat

Turn the temperature up or down 20 to 30 minutes before you leave home each day.
Have the temperature resume to your comfort level 20 to 30 minutes before you come home each day.
Reduce the heating or cooling 1 hour before bedtime at night.
Increase heating or cooling about 30 minutes before you wake up in the morning.

If you’re interested in installing a programmable thermostat, give us a call at (513) 737-8423 or contact us online and one of our technicians will come to your home. For more information about programmable thermostats, including wi-fi thermostats, you can control with your smartphone, or if you have other heating and cooling questions, just give us a call.

Save a Trip to the Doctor with a Whole-House Humidifier

Posted on January 9, 2019 by Jason

Why does it seem that colds are more common in the wintertime? Head colds, sinus infections, sore throats, coughs…the list goes on and on. One thing homeowners don’t usually think about is the humidity level in their home. Because our furnaces run all winter long, the air inside gets drier and drier. Also, not much fresh air enters your home in the winter because you are trying to keep the heat inside. No one opens their windows in the middle of winter. You may be surprised to learn a few tricks that will help your family stay healthier and feel better in general. Humidity plays a big role.

Humidity Levels Drop in Winter

As outdoor temperatures drop during winter, humidity levels drop as well. Why? Cold air has less capacity to hold moisture than warm air does. Lower outdoor humidity levels translate to lower indoor humidity levels. This lack of moisture in the air is what creates low humidity levels. This can create a number of issues that affect your health.

Problems with Low Indoor Humidity Levels

If the humidity level drops too low, flu viruses are able to survive longer and be transmitted more easily between people. Mucous membranes in the nose and throat dry out, increasing your discomfort and susceptibility to colds. Breathing drier air can also contribute to sore throats and coughs as well as exacerbate symptoms of asthma and allergies. Dry itchy skin, cracked lips, and bloody noses are all more common in drier air as well. If you notice high incidences of static shock, your home is too dry.

Whole-House Humidifiers Keep Humidity Levels Normal

One of the easiest ways to add humidity back into the air in your home is to add a whole-house humidifier. A whole house humidifier is installed on your furnace and adds moisture to the air every time the furnace kicks on. It’s virtually maintenance free other than changing the pad at the beginning of the winter season.

What Humidity Level Is Best During Winter?

Problems are most prevalent when the humidity level drops below 30%. At these low levels, problems like dry skin, cracked lips, nosebleeds, and aggravated symptoms of asthma and allergies are much more widespread. The ideal home humidity level is around 40-50%. This will reduce the symptoms listed above as well as lower the likelihood of static electricity. Your home will feel more comfortable and you can minimize the health issues that are commonly linked to low humidity during winter.

If you’d like more information about installing a whole-house humidifier in your home, give us a call at (513) 737-8423 or contact us online.

Water under Your Furnace – What to Check For

Posted on October 16, 2018 by Jason

Don’t panic if you see water under your furnace. There’s a 50/50 chance that it’s something you can fix. Here are four reasons why you might have a wet floor under your furnace, and luckily two of them can be easily fixed without calling a repairman.

Identify the Source of the Water

The first thing you have to do is find out exactly where the water is coming from. Make sure that it’s not standing water that has leaked from pipes, your foundation, or something else (like your water heater or washing machine). Once you’re positive it is coming from the furnace, look at these four possible causes and solutions.

4 Reasons Why Your Furnace Is Leaking

The floor drain may be clogged. It may be something as simple as a clog in the drain around your furnace where condensation is drained away. Clear the floor drain of dirt, debris, and obstructions regularly to help reduce backups and flooding.
Pipes may be improperly insulated or taped. If it’s been a while since your condensation-bearing pipes have been checked, cleaned, and repaired, the insulation or tape around them may be wearing out, allowing condensation to form. Routine maintenance and checking of these pipes can help keep things running smoothly and prevent water from pooling.
Your AC’s internal drain may be clogged. If your air conditioner shares an internal drainage pipe or system with your furnace, a clog can be a good possible cause of standing water on your floor. These clogs can form easily without regular service, and do require a professional to check them.
You may have an issue with your flue pipe. If your flue pipe is in bad shape or is improperly sized, this can allow condensation to build up inside the furnace system itself and then pool on the floor. Problems with your flue are best checked and serviced by a professional to ensure everything is done properly and to reduce future issues that may need furnace repair.

These are some of the more common reasons why you might have water pooling under your furnace. Doing regular maintenance can help tremendously in decreasing the likelihood of costly repairs in the future. Having tune-ups and regular servicing can help increase your system’s efficiency, reduce utility costs, and save you money in the long run!

Still unsure about the cause of water under your furnace? The professionals at Herrmann Services are experts who can help! Contact us online or call us at (513) 737-8423 for a professional inspection that’ll keep your furnace running at peak efficiency.

Water Heater 101: Water Heater Maintenance Tips

Posted on April 27, 2018 by Jason

Water heaters are wonderful. They provide hot water right to our faucets whenever we need it. There are a few things you can do to make sure your water heater is safe, energy efficient, and lasts. The team at Herrmann Services has put together this list of helpful water heater tips and tricks to help you and your family live better, safer, and more affordably.

Insulate Your Water Heater

Since your water heater stores hot water 24/7, much of the heat can escape through the walls unless they are insulated. This loss is called standby loss because it is heat lost while the heater is standing by for use. Insulating your water heater can reduce standby heat loss by 25%-50% which translates to savings of 4%-9% on your bill. These blankets, made of special insulation, are also sometimes called water heater jackets or sweaters and can be found at home improvement stores.

To see if your tank is a good candidate for a jacket, just touch it. It should not feel warm. If it does then the tank is not well insulated and a good candidate for this easy project. Check its label to see if it has an R-value of at least 24. If not, you should insulate your tank.

Look for a blanket with an R-5 to R-10 rating. Insulating blankets are easy to install and inexpensive – roughly $20. When dressing your tank for saving energy, be careful not to block the thermostat on an electric water heater or the air inlet and exhaust on a gas unit.

Insulate the Pipes

Insulated hot water pipes can raise the effective hot water temperature at your shower head or faucet by 2°F to 4°F over the same water heater setting if the pipes were not insulated. You don’t need to insulate all the hot water piping, only the first 5 to 10 feet from the water heater. Insulating the hot water pipe means you won’t have to wait as long for it to heat up, which will save energy, water, and money.

Set It for a Safe Temperature

If the temperature on your water heater is set too high, the water can scald someone. This is especially important if you have small children in your home who may accidentally turn on just the hot water tap. On residential tanks, the settings are normally warm, hot, very hot or something similar to that. There is much variation on what these settings mean, but the safe temperature is 120 degrees at the tap. If your water heater doesn’t have exact settings, you can test the temperature with a meat or candy thermometer to see what it is when it comes out of the faucet.

Water Heater Maintenance

Your water heater requires very little maintenance. However, silt or sediment will build up a the bottom of the tank over time. This sediment makes your water heater less efficient because it settles on the bottom where the heating element is and insulates the water from the heat. Your water heater should be drained once a year to keep sediment from accumulating. If you have an annual tune-up, your plumber should drain it then as well as check for proper wiring and venting, and check the anode rod which prevents corrosion inside the tank. It may need to be replaced if it has dwindled to less than a half inch thick or is covered with calcium deposits.

Safety Tips You Should Follow

Know how to turn off the water and gas or power supply. This is important in the event of an emergency, if your water heater is leaking, or you smell gas. There should be a gas valve or a disconnect switch within a few feet of the water heater. It’s also a good idea to know where your main gas shut-off valve is if your water heater is gas. If not, find out which breaker controls the water heater if it is electric.

Clear the area around your water heater. There are several reasons why it’s a good idea to give your water heater some space.

- A gas water heater needs a good supply of oxygen to burn the gas. If a water heater can’t get enough oxygen, it can affect the efficiency of the unit. This can cause damage to the burner chamber and other water heater parts as well. It can even cause carbon monoxide leaks.

- If the unit starts to leak, everything around it will get wet. You may not even notice if the area around it is hidden from view.

Storing items too close to the water heater can be a fire hazard.

Signs of Trouble to Look For

- If you noticed any black residue, soot or charred metal, this is a sign you may be having combustion issues. You should have the unit serviced by a professional.

- If you ever smell gas, turn off the gas supply and contact a professional.

For electric water heaters, look for any signs of leaking such as rust streaks or residue. This can be found around the upper and lower panels on the tank.

If you need help with your water heater, or need a new water heater installed, call the team at Herrmann Services at (513) 737-8423 or contact us online.

How to Set Your Programmable Thermostat for Maximum Savings

Posted on January 22, 2018 by Jason

If you’ve recently had a programmable thermostat installed, congratulations! It’s a great way to be more comfortable while saving money at the same time. Of course, in order to realize maximum savings on your heating bill, you’ve got to enter a program that works for you both in terms of being comfortable while you’re at home and awake, and saving money by lowering the heat while you’re away at work or in bed for the night. Here are the basics on how to do that:

Set It and Forget It

The secret to saving money with your programmable thermostat is to program it so that it’s at 68 degrees during the winter when you know you’ll be at home and awake, at 78 degrees during the summer when you’re at home. Then, set it 7 to 10 degrees below/above that during the hours when you’ll either be asleep or away from the home at work and/or school.

That’s it. By setting the program once, according to the temperatures noted (which are recommended by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Saver division), you’ll not only be ensuring that your home is comfortable while you’re at home and active, but you’ll also be “programming in” a savings of between 5 and 10 percent per year on your heating and cooling costs.

You Can Choose How Much Money You’ll Save

The temperatures listed above will provide maximum savings should you decide to follow the DOE’s recommendations. But remember, you’re in charge, so if you want to compromise by tweaking the temperatures a bit to be more comfortable, you’ll save a bit less.

Let’s say you choose to set your winter “at home” temperature to 70 degrees rather than 68 degrees, or that you prefer a temperature of 76 degrees rather than 78 during the summer. You’ll still save, but your savings will be on the lower end of the 5 to 10 percent savings spectrum. This is true as long as your adjustments for “away” and “asleep” temperatures comprise at least 8 hours of every day.

Simplify and Save

Having a programmable thermostat in the wintertime means that you no longer have to try to remember to turn the heat down before you leave the house in the morning. It also means that you’ll no longer have to come home — or wake up — to a house that’s too cold. And of course, the reverse applies to your summertime comfort. It’s a genius way to simplify your life, be more comfortable, and save money too!

If you’re in Cincinnati and need a programmable thermostat installed give the pros at Herrmann Services a call at (513) 737-8423 or contact us online.

The Clunk and the Funk – Explaining Strange Sounds & Smells Coming from Your Furnace

Posted on January 15, 2018 by Jason

Click, click, click. Nobody is tapping their fingernails on the table. Nobody is typing on a typewriter. This clicking is coming from your furnace! If you hear this sound in your furnace, it means something is wrong. Probably, a constant clicking sound is your igniter trying unsuccessfully to light the burners. Without the burners lit, your furnace won’t heat the air in your house. Time to call the furnace repairman!

Here are some other strange noises and smells that should not be coming from your furnace (but sometimes they happen, and that means your furnace needs some professional attention).

Screeches or Scraping Sounds from Your Furnace

You might think a bird or small, scurrying animal has been trapped inside your furnace. What you hear is probably a broken part hitting the furnace casing. The blower wheel may be broken, or something went awry with the motor. Broken parts in a furnace need replacing immediately.

Furnace Making Booming Sounds

Explosions inside your furnace should not be ignored! An explosion probably means the burners inside the furnace are dirty, making it hard for them to light. Extra gas builds up and then explodes when it does get lit. Even if the blast is small and doesn’t seem to be breaking anything, eventually it could cause damage that would be more expensive than getting your burners cleaned.

Thwapping Sounds Mean Furnace Trouble

Thwapping means something is stuck, and the blower blades are hitting it with each turn. This is not the worst problem that could happen to a furnace, but it can cause your furnace’s motor to wear out.

Rotten Eggs Can Mean a Gas Leak!

When it comes to your furnace, that horrible smell usually means there’s a gas leak. The gas your furnace uses is deadly, but is invisible and has no natural odor. That’s why the gas company adds a sulfur smell to alert people to a gas leak. If you smell rotten eggs or sulfur, turn off the furnace and open the windows, then leave the house! Call your gas service company to repair the leak.

Smells Like Something Is Burning!

This smell coming from your furnace might need some time to decide if it’s a bad problem or not. If you just turned on your furnace for the first time in the season, then it probably will burn up the dust that has accumulated over the summer. If the smell does not go away, you could consider getting a new air filter. This should clear it up, but if doesn’t clear up the smell, then call the repairman.

If you live in the Cincinnati area, give Herrmann Services a call at (513) 737-8423 or contact us online for all your furnace repair needs.

4 BIG Differences You’ll Notice with a Whole-House Humidifier

Posted on December 19, 2017 by Jason

Keep Your Cincinnati Home Cozy This Winter!

It’s no secret that the air in our homes gets pretty dry during the cold winter months. Static shocks seem to lurk around every corner, our skin gets dry and itchy, and we’re more prone to things like sore throats and bloody noses! Besides our own dry air woes, our homes suffer from the lack of humidity too. Wood furniture can crack, paint can peel, expensive hardwood floors can shrink and show gaps, and books and art can become dry and brittle. Dry air is just uncomfortable — both for we humans and the things we live with!

What Can You Do About Dry Winter Air in Your Home?

One way to control the humidity levels in your home is with a whole-house humidifier, which can be set to keep humidity levels in the desirable range of 30-50% during the driest months of the year (or in dry, desert climates, too). Here are 4 BIG differences you’ll observe once you’ve had one retrofitted to your existing HVAC equipment …

1. You’ll feel warmer with a whole house humidifier.

Low humidity tends to make us feel cooler, and we compensate by turning up the thermostat, which in turn, takes its toll on our wallets through higher utility bills. By raising the humidity in your home, you can lower the thermostat and still feel as comfortable as you did before.

2. You’ll feel more comfortable throughout your whole home.

Not only will you eliminate those nasty and surprising static electricity shocks, but your skin will stop feeling itchy, your hair will be more “cooperative”, and you’ll alleviate allergy symptoms and asthma.

3. Your furniture and hardwoods won’t dry out.

You’ll notice that your furniture and hardwood floors look better, and you’ll eliminate the worry of damaging them and other things like crown molding in your home.

4. You’ll be healthier with improved air quality.

Dry air can create ideal conditions for airborne illnesses like colds and flu, which are so common when we all tend to spend more time indoors due to the cold temperatures and poor driving conditions outside. Additionally, chapped lips and bloody noses will be less common with more humidity in the air.

Of course, you can always opt for portable, table-top humidifiers, but you’ll have to remember to refill them frequently and keep them clean so they don’t spread germs around! But a whole-house humidifier simply requires you to set your thermostat and forget about overly dry air all winter long! The only maintenance is changing the pad at the beginning of the winter season each year.

If you’re thinking about installing a whole-house humidifier in your Cincinnati-area home, give the pros at Herrmann Services a call at (513) 737-8423 or contact us online today!

10 Tips to Save Money on Energy Bills This Winter

Posted on December 14, 2017 by Jason

Brrr — it’s finally arrived! Old Man Winter is just beginning to take a firm grip on the Midwest, and now is the time to make sure you’re fully prepared by ensuring that your home is buttoned up as tightly as your winter coat, and your heating system is in winter-ready condition. The pros at Herrmann Services have put together this checklist to help you save money by lowering your energy bills. See if you’ve got them all covered this winter.

Check for Drafts

It’s not too difficult at this time of year to find gaps around windows and doors where cold air is infiltrating and heat is escaping. Weatherstripping and caulk are your new best friends and a couple of hours on the weekend should be enough to take care of drafts from those obvious offenders!

Check Your Attic Insulation

You already know the basics. Heat rises and it’ll rise up to your attic and out through vents if your attic isn’t properly insulated. If there’s currently no insulation, make it a priority to get some, and make sure that it’s covering everywhere that heat could be escaping — including the hatchway door. (A piece of foam board can take care of that often overlooked detail.)

How’s Your Furnace?

Have you had your furnace cleaned and inspected? If not, now’s the time! The professionals at Herrmann Services in Cincinnati can do a thorough inspection and cleaning, and perform any necessary repairs to make sure that your furnace is operating at its highest efficiency so you won’t waste a penny on fuel this winter. Don’t forget to change the filter every month!

Use the Sun

When the sun shines in, it brings a significant amount of heat with it. Take advantage of this free heat by opening the curtains or shades on south facing windows on sunny days to collect as much free heat as you can. Just remember to close them when the sun goes down to keep that heat inside.

Run Your Ceiling Fan Clockwise

If you flip the switch on your ceiling fan, it will run in the opposite direction. In the winter, we want the fan to spin clockwise (when looking up at it) to push the warm air that rises to the ceiling back down to the living area where we can enjoy it. Set it on the lowest speed.

Use a Humidifier

Humidifiers add moisture to the air. Moist air holds heat better so it feels warmer. This allows you to turn your thermostat down a few degrees without noticing a difference in comfort. Humidifiers also help to get rid of dry, itchy skin, chapped lips, bloody noses, and that annoying static shock.

Lower the Temperature on the Thermostat at Night

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, you can save about 10 percent per year on your heating bills by turning your thermostat down 10 to 15 degrees for eight hours. You can set it to come back up an hour or so before you rise so your home is comfortable in the morning.

Only Heat Rooms You Use

Close the vents in rooms you rarely use. This directs the flow of air to the rooms you use most. Why heat rooms you’re not living in?

Switch to LED Lights

LED lights use at least 75 percent less energy and last 25 times longer than older, incandescent lighting. If you haven’t switched, now is a great time because the price has come down considerably since they were first introduced. Switch your holiday lights too!

Use Exhaust Fans Sparingly

Exhaust fans in the bathrooms and kitchen remove the hot air that rises to the ceiling. Only use exhaust fans when necessary and turn them off as soon as you are done with them.

Herrmann Services has been serving the Cincinnati area for more than four decades, so you can count on us to do a thorough job! We can even replace your equipment if your furnace has seen better days, and we offer convenient financing so you don’t have to sweat coming up with a pile of cash all at once.

Why not give us a call at (513) 737-8423 or contact us online and have the peace of mind that comes from knowing that your heating system is ready to face another long, cold Cincinnati winter!

15-Point Homeowner’s Winter Checklist

Posted on November 29, 2017 by Jason

Is your hose unhooked from the outside of your house? Is your ceiling fan blowing upward? Are your gutters cleaned? If you want to make sure your home is ready for winter and avoid annoying, dangerous and costly problems due to cold weather, check this list to make sure you haven’t forgotten anything important.

Winter Maintenance Inside the House

Protect Your Pipes

Insulate any pipes on outside walls and in uninsulated spaces, such as crawlspaces and attics. Insulate them with foam insulation at a minimum. Ideally, you should wrap them with electrical heating tape first, then insulate them. Pipe insulation is cheap and easily available at home improvement stores. Fixing frozen pipes and the leaks they cause is not cheap.

Fix Leaky Windows and Doors

Caulk around windows and doors and use weatherstripping. Install foam outlet insulators to prevent cold air from entering your home through electrical outlets.

Check Attic Insulation

Because heat rises, the biggest heat loss typically occurs through the attic. If your home feels cold and drafty or heating bills are high, check to make sure that you have enough insulation.

Reverse Your Ceiling Fan Direction

To help circulate warm air away from the ceiling and down to the living spaces flip the switch on your ceiling fan to reverse the direction the fan blades spin. When looking up at your fan, the blades should spin in a clockwise direction. In the summer, you want the fan to blow air straight down, so the blades need to turn in a counterclockwise direction. The warmer it is, the higher the speed should be.

Check your Fireplace

Small animals build nests and creosote builds up in your fireplace over time. Have an annual inspection before building your first fire of the season. Also check to make sure the damper is closed when not in use so precious hot air is not lost up the chimney.

Change Your Thermostat

If you don’t have a programmable thermostat, add it to your to-do list. Programmable thermostats let you customize your schedule to save money on heating and cooling bills. It will pay for itself in energy savings in the first year of use.

Activate Your Humidifier

If you have a humidifier attached to your furnace, make sure it is turned on for winter. Check the drain line to make sure it is clear and the filter to make sure it is clean. Check to make sure that the humidistat is calling for humidity when the furnace is running. Open the water supply to the humidifier and turn the power on to the furnace. When the furnace begins running, the humidistat should call for humidity, the solenoid valve should open, and water should come out of the water inlet tube and drain into the humidifier drain. If it doesn’t, you may need service.

Change Batteries in Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors

This is a good time of year to change the batteries in your smoke detector and carbon monoxide detector to ensure they work properly when needed.

Test Your Sump Pump

Look for signs of moisture. Open the lid and pour a five-gallon bucket of water into the sump pit. I should activate. If nothing happens and the pump doesn’t turn on, you may need service.

If your sump pump runs often, you may want to consider purchasing a battery backup sump pump to avoid disaster.

Outside Home Maintenance

Outdoor Faucets

Turn off the water supply to exterior faucets, drain the water from the hose and disconnect it from the outdoor faucet. You may also want to consider an insulated cover for the outdoor faucet for extra protection.

Clean the Gutters

Leaves and debris that accumulates in your gutter can cause clogs and ice dams which can damage your roof and shingles, cause leaks in your ceiling and can also be dangerous for people passing under your eaves.

Drain Your Sprinkler System

Make sure you do this before the first hard freeze. Be sure all of the water is out so underground pipes won’t freeze and break.

Bring in Outdoor Furniture/Planters

Freezing temperatures, snow, and ice can damage outdoor furniture, clay pots, grills, etc. If you have room, store them in the garage, basement, or garden shed. Otherwise, cover them to reduce damage from the elements. If you have a gas grill with a propane tank, close the tank valve and disconnect the tank first. It must be stored outside.

Stock up on Snow & Ice Gear

Ice melt, shovels, gloves, etc. all sell out with the first big snow. Make sure you have yours BEFORE the first snowstorm or you may be left high and dry with slippery sidewalks and deep snow. If you have a snow blower, inspect it before the first snowfall to ensure it’s working properly.

Don’t Forget Your Vehicle

If you change your tires to winter tread, change them now. Carry sand or kitty litter for traction in case you get stuck on ice or snow-packed roads. Create an emergency kit in your car in case you get stuck or stranded in cold weather. Include gloves, boots, blanket or sleeping bag, shovel, ice scraper, flashlight and extra batteries, sand or kitty litter for traction, a tow chain or rope, jumper cables, cell phone adapter to plug into car, snacks like granola bars or energy bars and bottled water.

Be safe and comfortable this winter with a little help from your friends at Herrmann Services. Should you need any heating, plumbing or electrical help, give us a call at (513) 737-8423 or contact us online.