HalloweenThe season of Michael Myers, Freddy Krueger and Frankenstein is here again; that’s right, Halloween is this weekend.

There’s nothing quite like a cover your eyes and ears, jump out of your seat horror film. With the cool temperatures and long nights, it feels like fall was made for them.

As fun as it is to watch scary movies, Afterglow doesn’t want you to be scared in real-life. Here’s how to avoid three scares within your home.

Scare #1 – Furnace Filters

Air filters are crucial to any HVAC system. They help keep furnaces, air conditioners and air ducts clean by preventing particle buildup from things like dust and dirt.

An HVAC unit that has a dirty filter can cause your system to work harder, putting stress on the unit, ultimately causing system failure. Also, dirt and dust that is exposed to condensation can become damp, which causes mold to grow. This leads to serious and scary health consequences along with a compromised unit that will require servicing or replacing.

For filters, we recommend the disposables that are changed monthly. Cleaning filters has the added risk that the dirt and dust will become airborne again and you are right back where you started.

Here are some tips on how to change your furnace filter.

Scare #2 – Carbon Monoxide

Did you know that carbon monoxide (CO) is known as the “silent killer”? That’s because it’s a tasteless, odourless, invisible toxic gas. Exposure can cause flu-like symptoms, like dizziness, nausea, burning eyes, drowsiness and prolonged exposure can cause death. That’s a BIG scare that you definitely don’t want!

Did you also know that by April 15, 2015 all single-family homes in Ontario must have been installed with a working CO detector?

If you missed the deadline, Afterglow sells CO detectors for about $35-$60 at our office. If you’re having trouble installing yours, please give us a call: 519-747-7732.

Scare #3 – No Maintenance

It’s easy to fall behind on tune-ups and repairs for your HVAC system. However, proper maintenance and tune-ups can prevent small problems from snowballing into big ones with big, scary price tags.

Save the scares for the movies this Halloween and keep your HVAC system in prime condition.

Have a spooktacular Halloween!

Afterglow. Water, warmth, well-being.