01/22/2026
Tips to keep in mind with extreme cold temps approaching and why:
1. Check your furnace filter and replace it even if it's only slightly dirty. Furnaces run longer on days when it is extremely cold and even a slightly dirty filter can begin to drive the discharge temp up slowly over the course of a long heating cycle. When this happens, it can often lead to the furnace locking out because the discharge air becomes hot enough to trip the safety device called a "high limit switch". Filters are cheap-change it...
2. Check in and around your furnace vents where they exit your home and make they are completely clear of snow, leaves or any other foreign debris. Shovel drifts or rake debris away from vents, especially if they are close to the ground to prevent the pipes from sucking in leaves or frost or from blocking the exhaust pipe from expelling flue gases properly. This is probably one of the MOST common things we find wrong that can be prevented by a homeowner.
3. DON'T set your thermostat back for the overnight hours or while you are away at work until outdoor temps return to more normal seasonal temps. Two things... #1 - if you do have a problem with your HVAC system, you have a larger buffer if your house is cooling down from 70F than if the thermostat is setback to say, 64F etc. #2 - the furnace runtime will be extremely long trying to catch up from a lower setpoint which, with extreme temps, is probably more expensive than just leaving it set to normal temp for the period of extreme cold we are about to experience. This additional runtime can also lead to the same symptoms described above in item #1.
