10/12/2026
Buying a house with the heat turned off is one of the easiest ways to inherit a four thousand dollar replacement bill.
Sellers rarely run the heat during late summer showings, so a cracked heat exchanger or rusted flue pipe sits completely unnoticed. When the thermostat finally kicks on for chillier nights, soot buildup and carbon monoxide risks show up fast.
Running the heating cycle, testing safety shutoffs, and checking the draft in person shows you exactly how much life that unit has left before you sign papers.
Did your inspector fire up the furnace during your walkthrough, or did they just check the age label?