Home / The guide / Heating and cooling

Commission every system before you rely on it

Commissioning proves that systems are installed correctly and safely before you depend on them through a winter or heatwave.

How

1. Wood stove: have the installation and chimney inspected, then do a first fire with windows open to cure paint, checking for smoke leaks.
2. Heat pumps: confirm the installer did a nitrogen pressure test, a standing vacuum to 300 microns or lower and charged to the manufacturer's method (PNNL guidance).
3. Solar hot water: check pump and controller operation, glycol strength or drainback slope, and relief valves.
4. Ventilation: measure and balance airflows and check the CO alarms with the test button.
5. Record all settings, serial numbers and manuals in your maintenance log.

Safety: Do not occupy bedrooms near a new combustion appliance until a working CO alarm is fitted.

Sources

1. Burn Wise: Installation and Maintenance. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, accessed 2026-11
2. Ductless Mini-Split Heat Pumps. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Building America Solution Center, accessed 2026-11
3. Solar Water Heaters (course R04-016). CED Engineering, accessed 2026-11
4. Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Basics. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, accessed 2026-11

Open in the interactive guide