How to keep your home heated through the winter

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- As temperatures drop, making sure your home heating system is running safely is about more than just comfort; it's about protecting your family. 

"You don't want to find out you have an issue with your furnace when it's 10 degrees outside and 3 in the morning," Buckeye Heating, Cooling & Plumbing technician David Gerogiorgis said. 

Gerogiorgis performed a routine inspection for homeowner Jason Willis in Dublin on Monday.

"Safety, especially when you have kids or pets and a family, you want to make sure that safety is of utmost importance, so definitely want to make sure your units are running up to code and making sure there's no fire hazards or any safety potential issues there," Willis said. 

Gerogiorgis said some big things to look out for are corrosion or water marks near your furnace. Those are signs your system may not be venting properly. 

"More modern units will have a digital readout and that will give you some kind of an inclination of what's going wrong," Gerogiorgis said.

Another big safety concern is carbon monoxide, which furnaces create as a byproduct of burning fuel. 

"Metal pipes will oftentimes, over their lifespan, corrode, potentially open up holes and cracks which lets carbon monoxide leak into the basement," Gerogiorgis said.

That's why he encourages all of his clients to put a detector near their heating system. 

"A lot of people will have carbon monoxide detectors up around the bedroom spaces in second floor homes," Gerogiorgis said. "The concern there is that by the time that detectors going off, the basement area or the first floor is already full."

Another thing to pay attention to is your air filter.

"By keeping your furnace filter clean, you're going to make sure that you're keeping particulate dust and matter out of your air supply and off of the motor components and electrical components within the furnace," Gerogiorgis said. "That's going to help extend the lifespan and, overall, make the system that more efficient."

According to Gerogiorgis, it doesn't require a professional to check the condition of your filter.

"Take the filter out of the furnace, hold it up to a light, and if the light comes through freely, you're in pretty good shape," Gerogiorgis said. "If you hold it up to the light and you see the outlines of dirt, debris where the light is coming through muted, or the filter looks furry and gray, it's time to replace it."

Ultimately, when it comes to your heating system, a little preventative maintenance can go a long way. 

"They're expensive pieces of equipment," Gerogiorgis said. "By investing a little bit every year, you make sure that the system runs well, that your family is safe and comfortable, and that you can push the lifespan of that furnace by an additional 80%."

While technicians help homeowners prevent costly and dangerous issues, other programs like the state's Home Energy Assistance Winter Crisis Program (HEAP Winter Crisis Program) are helping families stay warm when the bills themselves become a burden. 

"If you're having a disconnect or about to be disconnected, but let me also add or you're running out of bulk fuel again, coal or wood, we're able to step and work with your vendor or utility company to help keep the lights on and the gas going," Breathing Association president Dr. Iyaad Hasan said. 

The program opened Nov. 1 and offers one-time assistance to income-eligible Ohioans facing utility shutoffs, low fuel supplies or service transfers. 

"This program is dire," Hasan said. "As an individual, everybody needs security, not just a home, but you need utilities within your home. You need to stay warm during the winters and cool during the summers."

To qualify, a household must be at or below 175% of the federal poverty line, which is around $56,000 for a family of four. Last year, more than 73,000 households in Ohio received help totaling more than $25 million in benefits. This year, experts expect demand to be even higher. 

"These times are trying for all of us, and especially as we move into the colder months," Hasan said. "But more and more individuals nowadays are calling than we ever have."

Franklin County alone averages 30,000 families relying on this help each winter.

Ohioans can start their application online but must schedule an appointment with their local energy assistance provider to complete the application. Depending on the agency, the appointment may be in person, on the phone, or remotely. The application and list of providers can be found online at energyhelp.ohio.gov.

Clients need to bring copies of their most recent energy bills, a list of all household members and proof of income for the last 30 days or 12 months for each member, proof of U.S. citizenship or legal residency for all household members, and proof of disability, if applicable.

For more information about the Winter Crisis Program, visit this link. The program runs through March 31.