Chilliwack Rental Heating and Cooling Checklist

Chilliwack rentals see two kinds of weather that test heating and cooling: a few weeks of arctic outflow most winters and hot spells in summer, including the record 43.7 °C of June 2021. Tenants usually notice problems first. This checklist covers what they can safely check, what's normal and what to report straight away.

Quick checks

• Thermostat on Heat (or Cool) and set past the room temperature
• Batteries replaced if the screen is blank
• Furnace service switch on and breaker not tripped
• Filter clean, or reported if it's dirty and tenants can't change it
• Step-by-step: furnace not working in Chilliwack

Normal during cold snaps

• Heat pump outdoor unit steaming briefly while it defrosts
• The system running much longer than usual
• "Aux" or backup heat showing on the thermostat
• More: arctic outflow and your heating

Report right away

• Smell of gas or propane: leave first, then contact the supplier's emergency line from outside
• Carbon monoxide alarm sounding: get everyone out and contact emergency services
• No heat during cold weather after the quick checks
• Water leaking from equipment or ceilings
• Ice building up and staying on a heat pump

Hot weather

1. Close blinds on sunny sides early in the day.
2. Open windows at night only if it's cooler outside than in.
3. Report cooling that can't keep the bedroom bearable, especially for older or vulnerable occupants.
4. See preparing for extreme heat.

Suites and shared systems

Where a suite shares a furnace or heat pump with the main house, tenants in each unit should report comfort problems to the landlord rather than adjust the other household's thermostat.

For property managers

A fall heating check and a spring cooling check prevent most emergencies. For service, see furnace service, heat pump installation and HVAC tune-ups.