Holiday Home Checklist: HVAC & Plumbing Edition
December 05, 2023
Are you ready for the holiday season? We hope so because there’s not much time left. In fact, Santa is already making a list and checking it twice. And when it comes to the holidays and your home, we think you should make a list, too. One that will give you 100% peace of mind all season, so you’ll never have to worry about furnace repair or call for an emergency plumber!
We promise that whether you’re trimming that tree, lighting a menorah, or simply wrapping gifts, checking these tasks off your list will prep your home for anything.
Holiday Home Checklist
Here are seven easy-to-do home plumbing and HVAC checks that will help you coast through the holiday season. Ho, ho, ho, let’s go!
Test Your Toilets
Having a huge family soiree? Then your bathroom is going to get plenty of extra action while you host. Prior to that party, be sure to “test flush” all the toilets in your home—especially those that will be used by guests. If you run into any issues such as running or dripping, give us a call before that party.
Change Batteries in Alarms
Be sure you have fresh batteries in your smoke alarms and CO2 detectors. Once you’ve swapped out the old for the new, do a test of each one to ensure they are working properly.
Change Your Air Filters
If you’ve noticed extra dust collecting on your furniture, it’s probably time to change your air filters. New filters will prevent your system from working overtime, prevent the need for emergency HVAC service, and help keep your indoor air fresher for those guests.
Shut Off Outside Valves
Before the weather turns colder, it’s a good idea to shut off outside water valves and drain any hoses that might still contain water. There’s nothing more annoying than dealing with frozen pipes during a holiday party! Draining hoses will help prevent water from freezing, expanding, and bursting pipes.
Check on Your Hot Water Heater
If you have out-of-town relatives staying with you this holiday, your home will be using more hot water than normal. Make sure your water heater is working properly and set it between 120- and 140-degrees Fahrenheit. (Setting the temperature closer to 120 degrees will help save on your utility bill.) If you notice anything that might be off, call our pros for water heater maintenance!
Clear Gutters
Check your gutters and free them of any debris or gunk that may be clogging the drainpipes or making your gutter sag. Also, to prevent hazards from happening as your guests arrive, clear your roofline of any icicles that might be forming—especially those large ones. Just like Ralphie’s mom exclaimed in A Christmas Story, “Those icicles have been known to kill people!”
Check Air Ducts
Have you checked your air ducts for leaks lately? If you’ve noticed that your system is running, but your home isn’t heating up as it should, one reason could be leaky air ducts. To check for leaks, crawl into your attic or crawl space and notice the temperature. If it’s warmer than it should be, you may have a leak and could be unintentionally warming the wrong spaces! No worries. Brothers is always just a click or call away for emergency HVAC service.
Happy Holidays from Brothers
Whatever your plans this holiday season, we hope you and your family remain happy, safe, and warm. Thanks to all our customers who allow us to service their homes throughout the year. We wish you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!