It’s every Long Island homeowner’s worst nightmare: You wake up on a cold morning listening to the wind and snow beat against your windows. You step out of bed so that you can go out and start shoveling your driveway, only to realize that your bedroom is as cold as ice. Somehow your heating system broke down over the course of the night, leaving you having to schedule expensive emergency heating repairs.

Your heating system doesn’t have to leave you in this kind of a lurch this winter. Many heating system issues are preventable with just a few smart and simple measures. To help make sure you and your family stay warm at home all winter long, here are our top tips for avoiding costly emergency heating repairs.

Schedule Annual Heating System Maintenance

Scheduling annual heating system maintenance is the number-one way to prevent your heating system from breaking down unexpectedly. Whether you have a furnace, boiler, or mini-split, just one tune-up a year will keep your heating unit clean, optimize your unit for better efficiency, and address smaller issues before they escalate into larger ones.

Check Your System’s Filter Monthly

If your heating system has a filter, it’s important to check them monthly. An old and dirty filter doesn’t just undermine your home’s indoor air quality; it can also cause your furnace or mini-split to break down due to overheating. During your annual heating service visit, your heating expert will replace your heating unit’s filter. However, it’s also important to clean or replace this filter in between visits. Make it a goal to check your furnace or mini-split’s air filter once a month, especially during the heating season.

Replace Your Equipment After 10 to 13 Years

If your furnace, boiler, or mini-split has been heating your home for 10 to 13 years or more, it may be time to consider a replacement. Replacing your heating equipment before a breakdown happens will help you avoid frequent repairs, minimize heating system downtime, and even save you money on your energy bills due to more efficient heating. If you need new heating equipment and have been relying on oil to heat your home, it’s also a good idea to consider oil to gas conversion.

Don’t Forget the Rest of Your Home

At Master Plumbing Heating Cooling, we like to remind our customers that your heating system is just one of many things that work together to keep your home comfortable in the winter. If your home is full of inefficiencies that make it difficult to heat, your heating system is going to be put under undue stress all winter long. Home improvements like air sealing and insulation will go a long way in making your home more comfortable while supporting your heating system. An energy audit can help you locate inefficiencies and determine which improvements will be most effective for your Long Island home.