The following maintenance should be provided by a heating system professional.

All systems:

• Check the condition of your vent connection pipe and chimney. Parts of the venting system may have deteriorated over time. Chimney problems can be expensive to repair, and may help justify installing new heating equipment that won’t use the existing chimney.
• Check the physical integrity of the heat exchanger. Boiler heat exchangers may leak water and are easy to spot. Furnace heat exchangers mix combustion gases with house air when they leak—an important safety reason to have them inspected. Combustion gases leaking into the house can cause carbon monoxide poisoning.  It is suggested that ever home have a working carbon monoxide detector.
• Adjust the controls on the boiler or furnace to provide optimum water and air temperature settings for both efficiency and comfort.
• If you’re considering replacing or retrofitting your existing heating system, have the technician perform a combustion-efficiency test.

Forced Air Systems:

• Check the combustion chamber for cracks
• Test for carbon monoxide (CO) and remedy if found
• Adjust blower control and supply-air temperature
• Clean and oil the blower
• Remove dirt, soot, or corrosion from the furnace or boiler
• Check fuel input and flame characteristics, and adjust if necessary
• Seal connections between the furnace and main ducts.

Hot Water Heating Systems:

• Test pressure-relief valve
• Test high-limit control
• Inspect pressure tank, which should be filled with air, to verify that it’s not filled with water
• Clean the heat exchanger.