Is your chimney safe for Christmas this year? How about your furnace? Is it working properly and maintained? Heating systems need maintenance or else you're stuck!

Whether it's seasonal furnace maintenance or making sure your fireplace chimney is safe for a visiting Santa this Christmas, you'll find the information you need right here to keep your home's heating systems working properly. So check out these tutorials and don't get stuck this winter season!

The thermostat is the brain behind your furnace or boiler operating properly, and these little guys come in a variety of different types. Some have mercury switches inside, some use mechanical switches, some are digital, and programmable electronic models will do everything except wake you up in the morning!

With Anatomy of the Furnace Thermostat you'll learn the differences between these thermostat types, how they work and see if you want to upgrade. And learn how to troubleshoot and fix a faulty thermostat too!

And if you want to replace your old thermostat or decide to get an electronic model to save energy and money this heating season, then go ahead and do it because installing a thermostat is easy and I'll show you how.

Gotta love the water heater! Definitely a most convenient appliance. Hot water virtually on-demand is a luxury we've come to take for granted.

But like anything else, it takes energy to run. In the tutorial Water Heater Tips for Saving Energy and Operating Costs I'll explain how to easily save water, energy and money in your monthly utility bills.

If your water heater is on the fritz and needs a little TLC, then Troubleshooting a Tank Type Water Heater is what you want to read. From problems such as not enough hot water to a leaking water heater, it's covered.

And when it's time to replace that old water heater with a nice new, energy efficient unit, you'll just love it. And it's really not that hard to do. In the tutorial Replacing a Water Heater I'll walk you through the process, step-by-step. Doesn't matter if it's a gas or electric water heater. I'll show you how.

Then you can get that warm, cozy feeling yourself!

When the gas burner in your furnace does not turn on or your pilot light in an older furnace is out, you may find that the problem lies in a little device that controls the gas valve. In an older standing pilot furnace the device is called a thermocouple. In newer electronic furnaces it is called a flame sensor. However they both perform the same basic function, and that is to control gas flow.

In the tutorial Replacing a Furnace Thermocouple or Electronic Flame Sensor I describe how to easily replace a furnace thermocouple in an older style standing pilot furnace or an electronic flame sensor in a newer style electronic ignition furnace.

Of course determining if the thermocouple or flame sensor is your problem is something you need to do. I outline how to troubleshoot a standard furnace in Troubleshooting a Gas Furnace and how to troubleshoot an electronic furnace in Troubleshooting an Electronic Furnace.