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FIELD STUDY / 04Find your guide
Find your guideThree tiles: HVAC for heating, cooling and air filters; Plumbing for hot water; Home Safety for carbon monoxide.HVACPlumbingHome Safety
Schematic field study. Not to scale or an installation plan.

HVAC

HVAC

Furnace won't ignite: safe checks before you call

Start with thermostat, power, filter and gas-valve checks.

HVAC

Furnace blowing cold air: safe checks before you call

Check the fan setting and filter before looking deeper.

HVAC

Thermostat screen blank? Check these in order

Check batteries, power and the float switch in order.

HVAC

What temperature should I set my thermostat to?

Five quick questions, then the numbers to set for home, asleep and away.

HVAC

Smart thermostats: why ecobee is the pick

How ecobee and Nest run their schedules, and why ecobee is easier to set up and understand.

HVAC

Air filters: where they are, how to check them, when to change them

Where your furnace and AC filter is, the light test, how often to change it and how to get the right size.

HVAC

What does the MERV number on your filter mean?

Read the rating and check what your system can accept.

Free tool

FilterPing

A free filter-change reminder: pick your own interval and add the dates to your calendar.

Plumbing

Plumbing

No hot water: safe checks before you call

Separate safe first checks from work for a technician.

Home Safety

Home Safety

What to know about carbon monoxide

What CO is, where alarms fit and what to do if one sounds.