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Gear to keep on hand for your heating and cooling
Heating and cooling repairs are expensive, and a lot of them start with a dirty filter or a thermostat that isn't doing its job. These are the small things that keep a system running well between visits.
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Furnace air filters (pick your size)
Keep a few spare furnace air filters on the shelf so a monthly change never gets skipped. The handbook says to check your filter every month and change it when it is dirty. A clogged filter can choke the airflow enough that the system shuts down or freezes up.
What to look for: Filter size is printed on the edge of the filter you have now, for example 16x25x1. Write it on the handbook page so you can buy the right one. Buy a few at a time so you never skip a change.
Honeywell Home 5-2 day programmable thermostat
If your thermostat is the old manual kind, a programmable one like the Honeywell Home 5-2 day is an easy upgrade. The Department of Energy says turning your thermostat back 7 to 10 degrees for eight hours a day can save up to 10% a year on heating and cooling. A programmable thermostat does that for you.
What to look for: This model works with basic single-stage heating and cooling. It does not work with multi-stage systems, radiant heat or line-voltage baseboard heaters, so check your system first.
Kidde smoke and carbon monoxide alarm, AA battery
When it is time to swap one out, a combination alarm like the Kidde smoke and carbon monoxide alarm covers both. The handbook says to test your smoke and CO alarms on a schedule. If one is more than ten years old or keeps chirping, replace it instead of nursing it along.
What to look for: Check the date on the back of your current alarms. The manufacture date is printed there, and the alarm should be replaced about ten years after it.
System acting up? Find an HVAC pro near you.
Thermostats and alarms are low-voltage jobs, so the electrical safety gear list is a good companion to this one.
This list goes with The Homeowner's HVAC Handbook, and you can get the free HVAC Handbook on our HVAC directory page. Items and availability change, so check the Amazon page before you buy. Affiliate disclosure.