With fall's arrival and Old Man Winter not far behind, now is the perfect time for homeowners to start focusing on how they heat their home. From furnaces to fireplaces, having your heating sources inspected and serviced ahead of the frigid temperatures can go a long way to ensuring the utmost comfort while also keeping energy costs down.

To get a better understanding of how to best prepare for the upcoming change in seasons, House & Home spoke with some experts in the field to get their professional guidance to make sure no one is left out in the cold.

As the temperatures being to cool outside, what should homeowners be thinking about in terms of having their heating unit inspected and/or serviced so they aren't dealing with issues in the dead of winter?
Every homeowner, just prior to at the beginning of fall, you should have your unit inspected or at least serviced to include the following:

• Checking the thermostat operation
• Checking that the furnace is clean
• Checking that the filer and fan motor are clean

That is all that needs to be done, there is nothing extravagant about it.
—Wayne Cangialosi, Wayne Refrigeration Air Conditioning & Heating

Signing up for a preventative maintenance plan will make sure their system is in optimal performance for efficiency this winter. ... Keeping systems maintained will save them money in the long run.
—Ann Carolyn Bush, R&D Heating and Cooling

What's the best way to address cold air pouring through a fireplace?
The most common cause of what we call 'cold hearth syndrome' is the inherent inefficiency of traditional open wood or gas fireplaces. Think about it: your chimney is essentially a large hole in your home. Since cold air is heavier, it naturally sinks into your chimney and spills into your living room. Making matters worse, appliances like kitchen and bathroom fans, as well as HVAC systems, draw in outside air, and your chimney becomes a prime source.

Your first instinct might be to close the damper or install fireplace doors. Unfortunately, in most modern homes, that's not enough to stop the draft. The most effective solution is to install a sealed gas or wood insert. This allows us to seal the chimney top, damper area and fireplace opening, creating an incredibly efficient, airtight fireplace system.
—David Rettinger Jr., Rettinger Fireplace Systems

What are the advantages of wood-burning inserts and wood-burning stoves?
You can cut your home heating costs by greater than 50% with a wood-burning insert or wood-burning stove. A lot of our customers will heat their entire home and just use fossil fuels as a supplementary heat source.

A traditional masonry fireplace is still very popular and people enjoy them, but open burning fireplaces do not generate heat the way a wood-burning insert or a wood-burning stove does. If you're looking for something that takes the chill off and gives you really calming effects, you would want to have a traditional masonry fireplace. But if you're looking to generate heat and save on home heating costs, you'll probably want a wood-burning insert or a freestanding wood-burning stove.
—Leon Ochal, Chimney Scientists

What are some of the more popular requests from customers these days?
Customers are looking for rebates from their utility company if applicable, to help save money on electric and/or propane. They also want quietness and, of course, the best option cost-wise to fit their budget. ... Comparing apples to apples, maybe the company they are working with is higher, but be sure to look at company profiles, reviews and the types of services they offer after the installation.
—Ann Carolyn Bush

Is there an optimal thermostat setting for the winter months?
It's really dependent on your own comfort level. What I tell people normally is that furnaces are designed to reach 72 degrees from whatever the outside temperature is. So if its 0 degrees, the furnace should reach 72 degrees in a certain amount of time. If it doesn't reach 72 degrees, then either it's way too cold out, or the furnace isn't operating with peak efficiency. But that is also dependent on the insulation in your walls as well as the window insulation in the house. Because an older house with newspaper in the walls for insulation is not going to maintain that heat all the time.

I tell my customers that if they're not home during the day in the wintertime, set your thermostat at 62-65 degrees. That will keep your pipes from freezing and it won't cost you that much to heat the house during the day. Then, when you get home, you can raise the temperature up to your comfort level. It's a lot easier to maintain and reach that temperature when it's already halfway there then having it shut off completely and coming home and trying to bring the temperature up to 70 degrees.
—Wayne Cangialosi

What are some of the most common concerns you encounter with chimneys?
A lot of people don't even realize they have a chimney for their heating system. A huge portion of our business is preparing chimneys for your heater. So I would say for your average homeowner, just being aware that they have a chimney for their heater is good to know. And then, if they have never had that looked at, it's maybe time to hire a certified chimney professional to do a camera inspection.

If you live in a house that was built before 1980, there's like a 98% chance that you have a chimney for your heating system. And most people are not aware of that. So it's best to have someone look at it before it collapses on itself and carbon monoxide backs into the basement.
—Leon Ochal

How can you eliminate odor emitting from a gas fireplace?
If you have a gas fireplace emitting unpleasant odors, it's likely a vent-free model. These units burn room air and exhaust emissions directly back into the room, much like a gas stove. This not only leads to unpleasant smells, but also introduces moisture, which can be particularly troublesome for people with respiratory conditions like asthma or COPD.

Replacing a vent-free unit with a sealed gas fireplace creates a significantly more comfortable environment. These systems provide radiant heat while venting emissions outside the home. The result is increased room temperature without compromising indoor air quality. Many models also include remote controls and thermostatic or high/low settings for maximum comfort and control.
—David Rettinger Jr.

RESOURCES
Chimney Scientists
West Conshohocken, Pa.
(610) 947-0475
TheChimneyScientists.com

R&D Heating and Cooling
Kennett Square, Pa.
(610) 890-9254
RDHVAC.com

Rettinger Fireplace Systems
Berlin, N.J.
(856) 805-8007
RettingerFireplace.com

Wayne Refrigeration Air Conditioning & Heating
North Arlington, N.J.
(201) 981-0852
WayneRefrigerationAirAndHeating.com

Published (and copyrighted) in House & Home, Volume 25, Issue 7 (September/October 2025)
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