Fall back on Sunday and the "Forgotten Battery Check"

Unless you live in one of the unique locations in America that does not go through the ritual, you will have an opportunity to enjoy an extra hour of rest on Sunday.  It's payback for the hour we lost in spring. 

You will hear and read many suggestions that you check the batteries in your smoke and CO detectors, and that is important advice.  What should probably be added to the list of batteries to check is the one in your furnace thermostat.  It's possible for some models to stop telling your furnace to operate if they have a dead battery.  If you happen to be out of town trying to cure a case of cabin fever, you could return to a frozen pipe nightmare.  Better check that thermostat battery this weekend.