Fall furnace checklist for Omaha homeowners
Before the first hard freeze, swap the furnace filter, test your CO alarms, clear the vents inside and the vent pipes outside, and run the heat on a mild day so you find problems early. Then book a professional tune-up. ENERGY STAR suggests checking the heating system in the fall, before contractors get busy.
Safety first. If you smell gas when the heat kicks on, don't touch switches or use your phone inside. Leave the house and call 911 and your gas utility from outside. For M.U.D. customers, the 24/7 emergency line is 402.554.7777.
Omaha HVAC Help is a free referral service, not an HVAC contractor. Want a tune-up or a check? Request a free quote and we'll connect you with one local HVAC contractor who can help. If we can't find a contractor for your request, we'll let you know.
Do it yourself
- Replace the filter. Start the season with a clean one. Then check it every month while the heat runs, and replace it when it looks dirty, or at least every three months.
- Test your CO alarms. Press the test button on each one and replace batteries if needed. You want a CO alarm on every level of the home and outside sleeping areas. Interconnected alarms are best, since when one sounds, they all sound.
- Clear the area around the furnace. Move boxes, paint, gasoline, and cleaning products away from it. Keep chlorine products like pool chemicals and bleach away from the furnace, since they can corrode it.
- Open the vents. Make sure supply registers are open and return grilles aren't blocked by furniture or rugs.
- Check the outside vent pipes. If your furnace vents through white plastic pipes on an outside wall or roof, clear any leaves, nests, or plants around them. After snow or ice, check them again.
- Do a test run on a mild day. Set the thermostat to Heat a few degrees above room temperature and check that warm air comes out of the vents. If you smell rotten eggs, leave the house and call 911 and your gas utility from outside. If anything else seems wrong, turn the system off and call a pro.
- Change the thermostat batteries if it uses them. A dead thermostat can look like a dead furnace.
What a professional tune-up should cover
Ask the contractor what's included. According to ENERGY STAR and CPSC, a heating check-up typically includes:
- Checking gas connections, gas pressure, burner combustion, and the heat exchanger
- Checking that the system starts, runs, and shuts off properly, and testing its controls
- Tightening electrical connections and checking motors
- Inspecting the condensate drain on a high-efficiency furnace
- Checking chimneys and flues for blockages, corrosion, or loose connections
CPSC recommends having fuel-burning heating systems inspected and serviced every year.
Rebates for tune-ups and furnaces this year
- OPPD's $25 HVAC tune-up rebate is sold out and no longer available, according to OPPD.
- M.U.D. doesn't currently list a single-family furnace rebate. Its furnace rebate is for multi-family developers only.
- If you're thinking about a new AC or heat pump instead, OPPD's HVAC Smart rebates are open. See OPPD AC and heat pump rebates.
When the checklist turns up a problem
- Furnace won't start: see furnace not turning on.
- Older furnace with repeat repairs: see repair or replace.
- No heat and it's freezing: see urgent HVAC help in Omaha, and pick Today on the form.
Areas we serve
Omaha, Elkhorn, Millard, Bellevue, Papillion, La Vista, Ralston, and Council Bluffs, Iowa.
Get a free quote for a furnace tune-up or check. No obligation.
Sources
- Maintenance checklist (ENERGY STAR)
- Heating and cooling (ENERGY STAR)
- Save on heating costs (ENERGY STAR)
- CO alarms (U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission)
- Carbon monoxide questions and answers (U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission)
- SL297NV homeowner manual (Lennox)
- High-efficiency furnace installation manual
- HVAC tune-up rebate (OPPD)
- Rebates (Metropolitan Utilities District)
- Contact (Metropolitan Utilities District)
Common questions
When should I get my furnace tuned up in Omaha?
In the fall, before the heating season. ENERGY STAR recommends checking the heating system in the fall because contractors get busy once winter starts.
How often should I change my furnace filter?
Check it every month during heavy use and replace it when it looks dirty. ENERGY STAR says to change it at least every three months.
Where should CO alarms go?
CPSC recommends CO alarms on every level of the home and outside sleeping areas, with battery power or battery backup. Test them monthly.
What if I smell gas when the furnace turns on?
A rotten-egg smell may be gas. Don't touch switches or use your phone inside. Leave the house and call 911 and your gas utility from outside.
Does OPPD still give a rebate for an HVAC tune-up?
Not right now. OPPD lists its HVAC tune-up rebate as sold out and no longer available.
Will you do my tune-up?
No. Omaha HVAC Help is a free referral service, not an HVAC contractor. We connect you with one local HVAC contractor who can help, and that contractor does the work.