Printable checklist

Pre-Winter Furnace Checklist

Twelve checks to do before the first cold night. You can do ten of them yourself in about an hour; the other two belong to a licensed technician at the yearly inspection.

12 checks · ~60 min · Best in the fall · Published

0 of 12 done

Do these checks in early fall, before the first cold night. ENERGY STAR advises checking the heating system in the fall,⁠[2] and a regular maintenance schedule can help reduce heating and cooling costs by 10% or more and prolong the life of the equipment.⁠[3]

The filter matters more than it looks: a dirty filter can increase energy costs and damage the equipment, leading to early failure.⁠[2] The yearly visit covers the parts you should not open. A dirty burner or a cracked heat exchanger causes improper burner operation,⁠[2] and NFPA says to have a fuel gas professional install, inspect, service and repair gas appliances.⁠[1]

Print the list and keep it near the furnace. Write the model number and filter size in the blanks so next fall goes faster. Ticks you make on screen are saved on this device only.

Before you start

  1. Once5 minDIYHow-to: Find the furnace power switch and gas shutoff
  2. Once10 minDIY
  3. Every fall · monthly5 minDIY
  4. At the low-battery signal5 minDIY
  5. Every fall5 minDIY

Air and vents

  1. Every fall · monthly in season5 minDIYYou’ll need: Furnace air filterHow-to: Check the air filter
  2. Every fall10 minDIY
  3. Every fall · after snow5 minDIYHow-to: Clear the outside vent pipes

Pro inspection

  1. Every fallPro
  2. Every fallPro

Test run

  1. Every fall10 minDIYHow-to: Run the heat for one full cycle
  2. Every fallDIY

Sources

  1. National Fire Protection Association · Safety org

    “NFPA Educational Messages Desk Reference, 2026 Edition” · PDF · §3.4.2, §3.5.1, §3.5.2, §3.8.1, §3.11, §10.1.8, §10.6.1–10.6.3, §19.4.1, §19.7.2 · accessed

  2. ENERGY STAR (U.S. EPA) · Government

    “Maintenance Checklist” · Heating Specific; Actions To Do Yourself; seasonal check-up timing · accessed

  3. U.S. Department of Energy · Government

    “Consumer Guide to Home Heating and Cooling” · PDF · Did You Know box; System Maintenance · accessed

How this checklist was made

This checklist was drafted with AI assistance from the manufacturer and safety sources listed above, then checked against those sources in an AI-assisted review. No licensed technician reviewed it. Last reviewed . Our methodology

Review log

  • Reviewed · First published

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