Getting Your Heating Ready for Winter – A Simple Pre-Season Checklist

Every year the first proper cold night in Bendigo is the busiest day of our year. Most of those calls are for small things that could have been picked up weeks earlier. Run through this checklist in autumn and you'll know where you stand before you need the heat.

Clean or replace the filters

This is the single most useful thing you can do. A clogged filter makes the unit work harder, cuts the airflow and pushes up your running costs. On a split system, slide out the filters, wash them in warm water, let them dry fully and put them back. On ducted, check the return-air filter.

Give it a test run

Turn the heating on for 15 to 20 minutes on a mild day. You're listening for rattles, grinding or banging, and checking that warm air actually reaches every outlet. A faint burning smell for the first few minutes is normal dust; anything stronger or lingering is not.

Check the outlets and vents

Furniture, rugs, curtains and boxes have a habit of drifting in front of vents over summer. Make sure every outlet and the return air grille are clear, and that the outlets are open in the rooms you want warm.

Look at the outdoor unit

For reverse-cycle, clear leaves, cobwebs and garden growth from around the outdoor unit and give it at least a few hundred millimetres of clear space on all sides. Hose off the coil fins gently if they're dusty.

Check the flue and clearances on gas heaters

Have a quick look that the flue outside is clear and undamaged, and that nothing is stored against the heater. If you have a wood heater, this is also the time to have the flue swept before you light the first fire.

Book a service if it's been a while

A professional service every one to two years keeps a heater running efficiently and picks up worn parts before they fail. For gas appliances we also carry out a carbon monoxide test, which is worth doing regardless of the unit's age – Energy Safe Victoria recommends gas heaters be serviced by a qualified technician at least every two years.

Set the thermostat sensibly

Around 18 to 20 degrees is comfortable for most homes and each degree higher adds noticeably to the bill. Use zoning or close doors to unused rooms so you're only heating the space you're in.

Need a hand?

We're a local Bendigo team and we're happy to take a look. Give us a call on (03) 5444 4677 for honest advice and a free quote.