When you live in a very cold climate, you need to rely on your home's heating system to keep the temperature warm and comfortable inside when it is frigid outside. Unfortunately, many people make mistakes that can lead to a home's heater not working efficiently, which can waste energy, cause wear and tear on the heating system, and cost a lot of money. If you know that you'll be using your home's heater a lot this winter, avoid these common heating mistakes:

Not Getting a Tune-Up

A residential heating system consists of a number of complicated mechanical components, and you can't expect it to perform at an optimal level year after year if it is not properly cared for and maintained. The best thing you can do is schedule a tune-up for your heating system in the fall before it gets cold. During the tune-up the entire heating system will be inspected and problems that may need to be repaired will be identified. In addition to helping your heater work more efficiently, having a tune-up ensures that your heater will run without any problems on the first day that you really need it.

Cranking Up the Thermostat

Many people mistakenly believe that turning up the thermostat to a high temperature will make the house heat up faster. In reality, your heater will heat your home at the same rate no matter what temperature you set it at. Cranking up the thermostat just means that your heater will run for an extended amount of time, which can be expensive. If you don't like coming home to a cold house, consider installing a programmable thermostat so you can control the temperature inside your home throughout the day.

Blocking Heat Registers

If you live in a home where the heat registers are on the floor or located near the baseboards on your walls, it is important to pay attention to where you place your furniture. If rugs or your furniture block one or more heat registers, warm air will not be able to flow throughout the room, so it will take longer to warm up. This means that your heater will have to run longer and work harder to get your house up to the temperature that you desire. 

Ignoring Small Issues

It is never a good idea to ignore small problems with your heater and hope for the best. If you notice that your heater is making strange noises, smells weird, or isn't producing air that is as warm as it used to be, it is in your best interest to have the issue diagnosed and repaired as quickly as possible. When a small issue is ignored it will often develop into a much larger problem that can cost a lot of money to have repaired. 

Contact a company, like Indoor Weather Professionals, for more help.