Brrrrrr. Is it chilly out there with that “Frigidaire” or what? Let’s get to the “Hotpoint,” “Sub-Zero,” we like you better as the appliance, not the weather. If you have been stricken with a "Whirlpool" of snow and negative temperatures that take the breath right out of you, heat has a totally new and beautiful meaning…it’s time to hunker down and snuggle up. While inclement snowy weather can ring in the joyous sounds of school closings and the sad, inevitable force to stay home, it’s important to keep you and your family safe and warm (don’t forget your pets). During these frigid temps, you are more likely to have furnace malfunctions. It’s extra cold out there, and trust us, your furnace is working extra hard. To make sure your furnace will pull through these frosty winds, we’ve put together some tips to help out your heating unit during extreme wintery conditions:
- Clear out your exhaust and intake vents from ice and snow. If the venting is blocked, you run the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning (no need to get in a panic, just bringing about awareness).
- Make sure your furnace filter is clean. A dirty filter will cause your furnace to not work as efficiently, making it overwork which could lead to overheating. Thus, the high limit thermostat, a safety mechanism, tells your furnace to shut down because it’s too hot…and you’re left with an unheated home.
- If you have outdoor piping, double check to make sure snow or ice is not frozen around them. Usually, the heat from the furnace will melt frozen water around the pipes; though, during subzero temps, it’s more likely to freeze over.
- Keep and maintain your home temperature. By leaving your thermostat around the 70+ degree Fahrenheit range, not only do you keep yourself warm, but you’re helping to keep your walls warm = no bursting pipes. Also, with a steady warm air flow going on, you’re not overworking your furnace nor allowing it to be idle or too cool during these extreme conditions.
- If you have a battery-operated thermostat, make sure the batteries are working. If your batteries are dead, how is it supposed to tell your furnace to heat your place up?
