Youngstown Rental Heating Checklist

In the Mahoning Valley, a heating problem in a rental can't wait until spring. Many rentals here are older homes with aging furnaces or boilers, and tenants are usually the first to notice when something changes. Share this list so they know what to report, how quickly, and what to do in an emergency.

Report within a few days

• Rooms that stay cold while others are warm
• Radiators that are cool at the top
• A furnace that turns on and off every few minutes
• A filter that looks dirty or hasn't been changed
• Very dry air or static shocks in winter

Report right away

• No heat in cold weather
• A carbon monoxide alarm sounding (leave the home and call 911 from outside)
• A gas smell (leave and call the gas utility from outside)
• Banging, booming or grinding from the furnace or boiler
• Water leaking around a boiler or furnace

Tenant basics

1. Keep vents and radiators clear of furniture
2. Change or report the filter every one to three months
3. Test CO alarms monthly
4. Keep the thermostat steady in very cold weather to protect pipes

Older systems

Many rentals still use boilers and radiators. Tenants should know how to spot a cold radiator and when to call. More: old boilers in steel-era homes.

For property managers

Heat problems in winter can also threaten pipes, so a tenant who calls quickly about a cold house is protecting the building too. Landlords who respond fast avoid frozen lines, water damage and much bigger bills.

Book fall tune-ups for every unit, keep CO alarms working and replace aging furnaces before they fail on the coldest night. See furnace repair, boilers and radiators, HVAC maintenance and furnace replacement.