Heating Inspections, and the Occasional Fire Hazard

Let’s be honest — most people don't really think or worry about their furnace until it’s -20°C, the wind sounds like a pack of wolves, and your thermostat’s giving you the silent treatment. That’s when panic sets in, and suddenly you’re googling “why isn't my furnace working?”

But here’s the thing: Furnaces rarely die suddenly. They grumble. They wheeze. They make noises that sound like a raccoon with a harmonica. And if you catch those warning signs early, you can usually avoid the whole “frozen pipes and emergency repair” situation.

During heating inspections, most home inspectors start with the basics:

• Is the heat exchanger cracked? Because a crack means carbon monoxide — and nobody wants that surprise. It could also be rusted, damaged, leaking, pitted, dirty and a host of other problems.

• Is the burner clean? (Half the time it looks like an unclean barbecue after a long weekend.)

• Are the filters fresh, or do they look like someone’s been storing pet hair in them since 2017?

• And, of course, are the vents breathing properly? Homeowners have an unwitting knack for blocking vents with furniture, boxes, rugs, old sporting equipment, toys — you name it. Heat’s not magic; It needs somewhere to go.

Home inspectors will often also check the flame itself. Yes, the flame. It should be blue, not orange, not yellow, not whatever “campfire mode” some people think looks cozy. Yellow means dirt or incomplete combustion, and incomplete combustion means trouble.

 

And don’t get me started on people who think yearly maintenance is a scam. Listen — a clean, tuned furnace runs better, lasts longer, and won’t fill your home with mystery smells (or kill you with carbon monoxide). It’s like brushing your teeth, but for your heating system.

So if you’re not sure the last time your furnace had a proper checkup (and “that one time Uncle Dave looked at it” doesn’t count), book a real inspection. That’s exactly the kind of thing you should do when you contact moffatinspections.ca to book a property inspection in Pickering or a home inspection in Ajax.

You also don't need to book a full home inspection. If you're only concerned about a few aspects of your property (eg. your heating and air conditioning) then you can book a home inspector and ask them to charge you a hourly rate for their consulting services.

And if you have any questions about maintenance, or how often you should replace a furnace (or AC unit), the home inspector can certainly help to address your concerns. 

 

Fireplaces & Chimneys: How Often to Clean ‘Em

There’s something magical about the first cold night of fall — the kind where you think, “Yeah, tonight’s the night. Let’s fire up the old fireplace.” 

You grab some logs, strike a match, sit back with your cocoa… and two minutes later, the whole living room smells like a campfire. Not the nice kind — the “uh-oh, open a window” kind.

That’s when it hits you: maybe it’s been a while since you had that chimney cleaned. Quite a while... Like maybe... Never.

Here’s the deal — fireplaces and chimneys aren’t just decorative holes in your wall. They’re working systems that move smoke, heat, and gases safely out of your home. And like any system, they need regular attention, especially if you plan on using them this winter.

The Once-a-Year Rule (and Why It’s Not Optional)

You’ll hear pros say: “Once a year, before heating season.” That’s not marketing talk — that’s survival advice. 

Even if you barely use the fireplace, creosote (that sticky, flammable gunk that coats the inside of your chimney) builds up slowly over time. One good fire, one spark in the wrong spot, and suddenly your relaxing evening turns into a visit from the fire department.

If you burn wood regularly — say a few times a week through winter — it’s smart to do a cleaning every year.

If you’re more of an “occasional fire on holidays” person, every two years might be fine, but only if the chimney cap, liner, and damper are in good shape and you’ve had a proper inspection confirming it.

What Actually Gets Cleaned (and Why You Care)

A full cleaning isn’t just sweeping out soot like a cartoon chimney sweep. It’s checking:

• Creosote buildup (that black tar-like stuff that loves to ignite).

• Animal nests — birds, squirrels, raccoons. I’ve seen it all. One time, I found a tennis ball and half a sandwich. Don’t ask.

• Chimney caps and crowns for cracks (because rain + soot = interior wall stains).

• Brickwork and mortar for damage. Small cracks can leak carbon monoxide or let in water. Both are bad news.

And for gas fireplaces, don’t assume you’re off the hook — vents still need checking, and spiders love to build webs inside pilot assemblies (don’t ask me why, they just do).

The Pre-Winter Inspection Routine

Before you light that first log, have the whole system inspected — even if you cleaned it last year. I can’t count how many people skip this and end up calling me mid-January with smoke stains above their mantle. That inspection can catch early signs of damage or blockage before they turn into chimney fires or smoke leaks.

So, if it’s been more than a year since your last cleaning, or if you can’t even remember when it was — that’s your answer right there. Get it done before the snow flies.

Go ahead, get that fireplace ready, roast your marshmallows, and enjoy the season — just make sure your chimney’s not plotting against you first.

Or alternatively...

Just tune in to a youtube video like the one below, put it on your TV, and turn the heat up in your home to create the illusion that you have a cozy fireplace. Less hassle, less to worry about. 

Heat Pump Inspections: Don’t Wait Until It’s Cold

When your heat pump starts acting up it’s rarely dramatic — no giant sparks or dramatic flames — just that slow decline: Longer run times, thermostat fiddling, or your energy bill climbing like it’s training for a marathon. Heat pumps run year-round (they’re your heater in winter and air-con in summer), so they don’t get the seasonal “rest” other systems do. That matters for how often you should check them.

How often should you get an inspection?

Short answer: at least once a year — preferably twice if the heat pump is your main system (spring and fall) so it’s tuned for both cooling and heating seasons. That’s the common industry recommendation and the one government and major manufacturers point to: annual minimum, biannual preferred for year-round use.

Why twice? Because the machine actually flips modes and loads change. A spring visit gets the system ready for cooling; a fall visit gets it ready for the heavy heating stretch. If you skip both, you may still be fine — until you’re not.

And no, you can't just ask the maintenance people or the home inspection company to send "Two guys instead of one". Having two people inspect it at the same time doesn't count as two separate inspections!

 

What we look for during a heat pump inspection (the important stuff)

Think of a professional inspection as a health check for the whole system — not just the outdoor box. Typical checks I run during a heat pump inspection:

• Filters and indoor airflow — dirty filters choke performance. Replace or clean them often (monthly to every 3 months depending on use/pets).

• Outdoor unit condition & clearance — remove leaves, snow, ice; ensure 30–60 cm clearance so airflow isn’t restricted. Clean fins/coils.

• Coils & refrigerant levels — dirty coils or low refrigerant make the unit struggle and drop efficiency; leaks need pro diagnosis.

• Defrost cycle & cold-weather performance — heat pumps have defrost cycles in winter; if it’s icing up and not defrosting properly, that’s a real problem.

• Electrical components — connections, contactors, capacitors, control wiring and safety controls get inspected and tightened/tested.

• Fan motors and belts (if applicable) — noise, wobble, or reduced RPMs are red flags.

• Thermostat and controls — verify accurate sensing and proper mode switching.

• Ductwork & vents (for ducted systems) — leaks, dirty ducts, or blocked vents cut efficiency and comfort.

I list those in the order I usually inspect them — the smallest fixes (filter, clearance) can often give the biggest immediate improvement.

Quick DIY checks you can do (before calling a pro)

• Replace or clean the filter. It’s the cheapest, most effective thing you can do.

• Walk the perimeter of the outdoor unit — clear away debris, leaves, and ice. Don’t use a pressure washer on delicate fins.

• Listen for odd noises (clunks, grinding, whining) and smell for burning or refrigerant (a chemical sweet/etheric smell). If you hear/smell those, shut it off and call a pro.

• Note run times: if the unit runs almost constantly and still doesn’t reach set point, that’s a clue something’s wrong.

When you should absolutely call a technician

• Ice that doesn’t go away after a defrost cycle.

• Strange electrical smells or visible sparking.

• Rapidly rising energy bills without lifestyle change.

• Unit short-cycling (turning on/off quickly) or failing to switch modes.
  These are not “I’ll check later” things — they need a pro. The industry guidance is clear: a professional tune-up prevents small problems becoming expensive replacements.

Costs & timing — what to expect

Average pro maintenance visits vary, but the cost is usually much lower than a major component replacement (compressor, coil, or a refrigerant repair). Many homeowners find a spring and fall service plan (two visits per year) worth the peace of mind and the energy savings. If you want rough numbers for budgeting, homeowner-facing guides publish typical maintenance visit ranges and what’s included.

A few real-world inspector notes (because I like telling short stories)

• A house where the “weak heat” problem was literally a plastic patio chair jammed against the return vent. Simple fix — huge effect.

• Outdoor units buried under three seasons of leaves. The owner swore they “only used it a little bit” — but the unit looked like it had been on a diet of mulch. Clearing the debris and a quick service visit brought it back to life.

Bottom line / what to do before winter

1. If it’s been more than a year since a professional looked at your heat pump, book an inspection (fall preferred for prepping heat mode). If your unit is the home’s primary HVAC, aim for twice a year. Early Spring and Early Autumn.

2. Do the quick DIY checks (filter, clearance) monthly or seasonally.

3. If you notice strange noises, loss of capacity, icing that won’t clear, or big bill jumps — call a pro right away.

If you want a proper heat pump inspection — the kind that covers the checklist above and gives you a clear, plain-English report — that’s something you can get from moffatinspections.ca. You will learn whether you need a quick fix, any preventative work or maintenance, and what’s worth budgeting for. No scare tactics, just the facts (and a little humour about the weather, because life is too short for boring HVAC talk).

If you're living in the Durham Region (Ajax, Pickering, Port Perry, Uxbridge) remember to book your home inspections or heat pump inspections from Moffat Inspections.