Winter on the Front Range does not wait for you to be ready. One week it is sunny and 60, and the next a cold front drops overnight lows into the teens and your furnace is running for the first time in months. Getting your home ready now, before that first hard freeze, is the difference between a warm, worry-free season and a scramble on the coldest night of the year when every HVAC company in the metro is booked.
Use this Denver winter prep checklist to get everything squared away. Most of it you can do yourself in an afternoon. The one part best left to a professional is your heating system, and we will show you an easy, low-cost way to handle that too.
Your Denver winter prep checklist at a glance
Get your furnace professionally inspected
Replace your furnace filter
Set your thermostat for the season
Test your carbon monoxide and smoke detectors
Seal drafts and check insulation
Reverse your ceiling fans
Protect your pipes from freezing
Prep your outdoor AC or heat pump unit
Address Denver’s dry winter air
Make a cold-weather emergency plan
Here is what each one involves.
1. Get your furnace professionally inspected
This is the most important item on the list, and the one you should not skip. Your furnace has been idle all summer, and its first startup is exactly when hidden problems (a cracked heat exchanger, a worn motor, a failing safety control) tend to appear. A professional inspection makes sure your system is clean, safe, and ready to run all winter.
New to Go Green? This is exactly what our Green Comfort Check is built for: a NATE-certified technician inspects your entire heating system and gives you an honest, plain-English report on where it stands, all for just $49 (a $150 value). It is the easiest way to check the biggest box on this list.
2. Replace your furnace filter
A clean filter keeps warm air flowing and stops your furnace from working harder than it needs to. A clogged one drives up your heating bill and can even cause the system to overheat and shut down. Swap it at the start of the season, and check it every one to three months through the winter, especially with Colorado’s dust.
3. Set your thermostat for the season
Switch your thermostat over to heat and confirm it responds correctly. For efficiency, the U.S. Department of Energy suggests around 68 degrees when you are home and awake, and cooler while you sleep or are away. A programmable or smart thermostat automates those setbacks so you save without thinking about it.
4. Test your carbon monoxide and smoke detectors
As your furnace fires up for the season, working carbon monoxide detectors matter more than at any other time of year. CO is odorless and invisible. Put a detector on every level of your home, press the test button on both your CO and smoke alarms, and replace the batteries. It is a two-minute job that protects your whole family.
5. Seal drafts and check insulation
Cold air sneaking in around doors and windows forces your furnace to run longer. Add weatherstripping and caulk where you feel drafts, and check that your attic insulation is in good shape. These inexpensive fixes pay for themselves in comfort and lower bills all winter.
6. Reverse your ceiling fans
Flip the little switch on your ceiling fans so the blades spin clockwise. This pushes warm air that has risen to the ceiling back down into the room, which makes the space feel warmer and takes some load off your furnace.
7. Protect your pipes from freezing
Colorado cold snaps can freeze and burst pipes fast. Disconnect and drain garden hoses, insulate exposed pipes in unheated spaces like crawl spaces and garages, and know where your main water shutoff is. On the coldest nights, let a faucet drip and open cabinet doors under sinks on exterior walls.
8. Prep your outdoor AC or heat pump unit
For a standard central air conditioner, clear away leaves and debris and make sure nothing is crowding the unit, but you do not need to wrap it in plastic (that can trap moisture). If you have a heat pump, do the opposite of “shutting it down,” it runs all winter to heat your home, so keep it clear of snow and ice and never cover it.
9. Address Denver’s dry winter air
Our winter air is famously dry, and running the furnace makes it drier, which shows up as static, cracked skin, and irritated sinuses. A whole-home humidifier tied into your HVAC system keeps humidity at a comfortable level throughout the house and can even let you feel comfortable at a slightly lower thermostat setting.
10. Make a cold-weather emergency plan
Know what you will do if the power or heat goes out: where your extra blankets are, how to safely use alternate heat sources, and who to call. Save an HVAC company’s number in your phone now, so you are not searching for one at 11 pm during a freeze.
The one task worth leaving to a pro
You can knock out most of this checklist yourself. Your heating system is the exception, because a proper inspection means checking combustion, safety controls, and the heat exchanger, which takes training and tools. That is the whole idea behind the Green Comfort Check: for $49, a Go Green technician handles the hardest, highest-stakes item on your list and tells you exactly where your system stands, with no pressure and no gimmicks. New customers can book through November 30.
Frequently asked questions
When should I get my furnace serviced in Denver?
Early fall, ideally September or October, before the first hard freeze. Servicing before the rush means you avoid long waits and catch any problems while the weather is still mild. If you have not had it done yet this season, now is the time.
What temperature should I set my thermostat in winter?
The U.S. Department of Energy suggests about 68 degrees while you are home and awake, and lowering it while you sleep or are away. Every degree lower saves on your heating bill, and a smart thermostat can handle those adjustments automatically.
How often should I change my furnace filter in Colorado?
Change it at the start of heating season and then every one to three months, depending on the filter type, whether you have pets, and how dusty your area is. Colorado’s dust and dry air tend to load filters faster, so checking monthly is a good habit.
Should I cover my outdoor AC unit for the winter?
Generally no. Clear off leaves and debris, but avoid wrapping the whole unit in plastic, which traps moisture and can cause corrosion or invite pests. If you have a heat pump rather than a straight air conditioner, never cover it, it runs all winter to heat your home.
How do I keep my pipes from freezing in Colorado?
Disconnect garden hoses, insulate pipes in unheated areas, and keep your home above about 55 degrees even when you are away. On very cold nights, let a faucet drip and open cabinet doors to let warm air reach the plumbing on exterior walls.
What is the Green Comfort Check?
The Green Comfort Check is Go Green Heating and Air Conditioning’s new-customer offer: a $49 whole-home heating inspection (a $150 value) performed by a NATE-certified technician. You get a plain-English report grading your system and honest recommendations with no pressure. It is the simplest way to make sure your heating system is ready for a Denver winter.
Get your heating system winter-ready
Work through this checklist and your home will be in great shape for whatever the Front Range throws at it. And when you are ready to check off the most important item, we make it easy.
Book your $49 Green Comfort Check today. Call 303-919-9292 or schedule online. Locally owned in Arvada, serving Denver and the surrounding metro. New customers, offer valid through November 30, 2026.