Fall checklist: Check for Safety, Maintenance Issues

THE BLISTERING SUMMER heat isn’t far behind us, but it won't be long until heating season arrives and the house ls full of company for the holidays.

Head off any potential problems by scheduling maintenance and safety checks for your home's heating and electrical devices now. Here's where to start.

Furnace. A qualified tech should do a twice-a-year check of your system: once in the fall for heating and again in the spring for air conditioning. Before you need to turn on the heat, make sure yours ls in good working condition. The tech can spot problems before they ruin your system or cause a malfunction while your house is full of company.

Thermostats. If your home doesn't have a programmable thermostat, you could be paying more to heat and cool your home than you should. Programmable thermostats automatically turn the heat up or down, depending on your family's schedule.

Ground-fault circuit interrupters. A licensed electrician can install GFCIs in your bathroom, kitchen, and laundry room: around hot tubs and pools: and under windows. All those areas have the potential to get wet, and a GFCI will shut off the electricity to an appliance that does. In addition, it can interrupt a circuit if it's overcharged.

Smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors. If you don't have them near all the bedrooms in your home, it's time to install them. Then check them twice a year to make sure they're still working and that they have fresh batteries.

Overloaded outlets. You can overload an electrical circuit by plugging in appliances that use a lot of electricity like a range, dishwasher, refrigerator or even some entertainment systems and exercise equipment-into a circuit designed for a smaller load. Ask a licensed electrician to inspect your home for potential circuit overloads.