Ah yes, it’s that time of year here in Upstate New York – time to start cranking the heat (and lining the pockets of our favorite gas company). We’ve only turned it on twice, on cold weekend mornings, but pretty soon it’ll be a 24/7 affair. If you haven’t done it already, it’s time to make sure your heating systems are in good working order!

We’re lucky enough to have steam heat. When we first moved in, nearly every radiator had a leak and the pipes banged incessantly. We’ve done quiet a few little tune-ups to get it running smoothly. It’s not perfect – we’ve still got one that needs a new valve, and a little bit of banging – but it’s much improved. And most of the maintenance is easy to do yourself.

Want to get rid of knocking? Try this comprehensive post from the always-helpful House in Progress.

Need to do some general maintenance? This Old House has a helpful article here.