Your home heating system is one of your biggest investments, and it's probably also one of your biggest worries, especially when you're away from home.

Whether you leave for a day, a weekend or a week or longer, you can alleviate these worries by taking steps to secure your heating system and your home before you leave. Follow this five-step process and you'll find peace of mind so that you can enjoy your winter respite. It's really that simple.

Make a list and check it twice to ensure that you:

• Make an appointment for your fall maintenance checkup, if you haven't done so already. Better to have any minor glitch found – and repaired – before you leave town than to risk a malfunction or breakdown while you're away.
   
• Lower your thermostat but keep the heat on while you're away – say, from between 50 and 55 degrees. Set your thermostat fan to the “on” or “run” setting to keep the flow of warm air continuous and even.
   
• Leave the cabinet doors in your kitchen and bathrooms open so that the pipes are exposed to heat.
   
• Replace your furnace filter for good measure. (Remember your peace of mind; it's worth the cost of a filter).
   
• Leave the name and phone number of a heating system service company like Experts In Your Home with a trusted neighbor – just in case.

With one of your biggest investments protected, you can take other measures to safeguard your home before leaving home this winter:

• Shut off the main water valve to prevent flooding.
   
• Close your chimney flue and damper.
   
• Turn your water heater to the “vacation” or “pilot” setting so that you're not heating water you don’t need. On a gas unit, the control is usually located at the bottom; an electric water heater can be turned off at the main electrical panel.
   
• Unplug all of your appliances, except for the refrigerator, to protect against surges in the event of a violent storm while you're away. And it bears repeating: Don’t just turn off computers and laptops; unplug them to protect them against lightning strikes. (And yes: they have occurred during northern California winters).
   
• Unplug your garage door opener so that no one can enter your home through the garage door or an adjoining door.
   
• Lock all your doors and windows – and check them twice to be sure, even on the second floor. Insert a sturdy pole in the track of all sliding doors.
   
• Close all your window treatments.
   
• Take the extra precaution of hiding any valuables. Remember that a master bedroom is usually the first place thieves will raid, so you should either have a thoroughly secret hiding place there or secure jewelry, cash and other items in a safety deposit box.
   
• Affix timers on several lamps on both the upper and lower levels of your home to give the impression that someone is still there.
   
• Put a hold on your mail rather than let it pile up while you're away.
   
• Ask that trusted neighbor to train an eye on your home and even park in your driveway periodically to give the impression that you're still at home.

If you're already feeling calmer about leaving home, just imagine how relaxed you'll feel while you're away. If you have any heating system issues now or while you're away for the holidays, contact Experts In Your Home. We service heating systems in Chico, CA & surrounding areas.

Download the free maintanence checklist below to be sure you're taking care of your heating system.