Maine experts offer essential tips for efficient home heating maintenance

PORTLAND (WGME) -- Servicing your home heating appliance yearly is an important step to making sure you stay warm this winter.

“The first thing we’re going to do is go over to the thermostat and verify that the system is functioning. We’re going to turn the thermostat up to make sure the boiler fires and everything’s working before we even put hands on it,”Pine State Services Service Department Manager Jason Smith said.

The next step, if you have one, would be to look at the oil tank and make sure it’s running properly.

“We’re going to check the oil tanks to see the condition of it, the age of it. We’re going to check the fuel level, clean the filter and change the filter out of the tank,” Smith said.

Smith says they’ll also check the fuel pump to make sure it’s sending the right mixer and pressure of fuel, then the process of cleaning the unit can start.

However, there are things you can do yourself.

“The easiest thing for a homeowner to do proactively with your heating system would be to change the battery on the thermostat. This should really be done once a year, but it’s something a homeowner can do themselves to potentially save them a 'no heat' call or an emergency service call.” Smith said.

Heat pumps are becoming more common in Maine.

And there’s a very easy step you can take to make sure it’s running as efficiently as possible.

“The easiest thing a homeowner can do to clean it is every month or so to clean the filters, which are located right inside this door. So, there are two filters located right inside this unit, and we can simply pull them out and you see they are a little dusty, we will rinse them under the kitchen faucet and then we will go ahead and reinstall them,” Smith said.

No matter what heating system you may have in your home, it’s important to hire a licensed professional to clean your unit.