Weekend Anchor/Multi Media Journalist

EAU CLAIRE (WQOW) - This week brings the first widespread frost of the season, so Chippewa Valley homeowners may be cranking up the heat. Local HVAC retailers say there are a few steps to get your home winter-ready.

Christina Wiersgalla, co-owner of Wiersgalla Co. in Eau Claire, said calls to inspect home furnaces typically spike around October 1, so now is the perfect time to get your home ready for the cold months.

That means before you test the furnace, make sure the vent pipes are clear of debris and check to see that the furnace is working in sync with the thermostat. Signs that your furnace may need to be looked at include blowing cold air, or noticing dust settling around the house.

"The temperatures, with a drop of 20 degrees, we have already started taking calls from people who are wanting to get their furnaces looked at, checked and cleaned," Wiersgalla said. "That is our number one recommendation every year: to have the furnace cleaned and prepared."

She added, heating bills may be more expensive this year. To lower your monthly cost, she suggested getting a programmable thermostat to keep the house at around 67 degrees when no one is home, and to replace your furnace with a more efficient one if yours is over 20 years old.

She said the average cost for a new furnace is $4,000, but that retailers will often work with various budgets. 

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Weekend Anchor/Multi Media Journalist

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