Wednesday was a beautiful fall day, but colder temperatures will be settling in soon. That’s why local heating professionals are reminding homeowners to have their furnaces and heating systems serviced before winter arrives.
T.J. Plumbing and Heating had nearly 40 crews spread across Erie, Crawford and Warren counties, as well as into Jamestown, New York, servicing furnaces ahead of the winter season.
As fall sets in, getting a heating system checked is important for homeowners, but the cost of heating a home can also be a concern.
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York said, “As it gets colder, the inflation price of oil will push home energy costs even higher, forcing some families to decide between turning on the heat and paying for essentials like food and health care.”
Still, routine furnace maintenance can help homeowners avoid costly problems during the winter months.
T.J., the owner of T.J.’s Plumbing and Heating, said problems often become apparent when people turn their furnaces on for the first time.
“When people start turning on their furnaces, that’s when the problems start showing up, and then there’s a lot of people that get them cleaned and checked before the season starts. And then we start getting a lot of calls before the season starts for winter,” T.J. said.
He said regular upkeep can save homeowners both time and money, “Instead of doing it every three months, you do it once again for your furnace, once again for your AC. It can save you a lot of headache, and it could save you a lot of money, not to mention the efficiency of the units. It can also hurt your gas bill.”
A routine check doesn’t take much time. Servicemen and women inspect the system to make sure everything is working properly and identify potential problems before they become major repairs.
“Breakdowns, changing your filter, going through the whole diagnostic of the unit, making sure it’s all tuned up proper for wear, it severely makes a big difference for our customers,” T.J. said.
The high cost of heating a home can be a burden for homeowners, which is where programs like the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP, can help.
LIHEAP provides grants to eligible low-income families to help pay their home heating costs. Senators are also pushing the federal government to release the funds early to help families struggling with rising expenses.
“We are asking him to release the funds now because people are so anxious about being able to afford their heating bills because of the cost of everything else. So if the LIHEAP money flows, people can do their applications and then know they can heat their homes,” Senator Gillibrand said.
According to National Fuel, LIHEAP is scheduled to open November 2. Cash grant amounts will remain the same as last year and will range from $200 to $1,000, depending on the applicant’s region, annual household income, heating type and the number of people living in the home.
There are also several things homeowners can do to help reduce heating costs and keep their homes comfortable during the winter.
Ways include, reducing air leaks, lowering the thermostat, changing or cleaning air filters, Controlling warm airflow, reflecting heat, and using sunlight when possible.