Langley Rental Heating Checklist

Langley rentals heat in many different ways: gas furnaces in older houses, heat pumps in newer townhouses, baseboards in basement suites and shared boilers in apartments. Whatever the system, tenants notice problems first. This checklist covers simple checks, what's normal and what needs reporting straight away.

Before reporting "no heat"

• Thermostat on Heat and set above the room temperature
• New batteries if the display is blank
• Furnace service switch on (it looks like a light switch near the unit)
• Filter not clogged
• More steps: furnace not heating in Langley

Normal heat pump behaviour

• Steam from the outdoor unit on cold, damp mornings (defrost)
• A short pause in warm air, then heat returns
• "Aux" or "Backup" on the thermostat on the coldest days
• Air that feels warm rather than hot

Report right away

• Any smell of gas: leave the home first and contact the gas utility's emergency line from outside
• A carbon monoxide alarm sounding: get everyone outside and contact emergency services
• No heat after the basic checks, especially in cold weather
• Water leaking from the furnace, heat pump or ceiling
• Burning smells or a breaker that trips again

Damp weather habits

1. Run bathroom and kitchen fans during and after showers and cooking.
2. Keep the heat on at a steady setting rather than off during the day.
3. Wipe window condensation in the morning and report mould that keeps coming back.
4. See damp winters and indoor comfort.

Smoky summer days

When wildfire smoke drifts in, keep windows closed and run the system fan if there is one. Let the landlord know if the filter needs changing afterward. See wildfire smoke and your HVAC.

For property managers

A fall furnace check and a spring heat pump check prevent most winter emergencies. For service, see furnace repair, heat pumps and HVAC maintenance.