01/23/2026
WINTER WEATHER IS ON THE WAY
( LARGE SNOW / ICE STORM )
Followed by ( EXTREME LOW TEMPS for an extended amount of time )
I have compiled a few helpful tips to assist with the HVAC in your homes.
GENERAL TIPS
1.) Change those air filters , make sure they are clean.
DO NOT buy the expensive 90 day filters,they restrict air flow too much . Go middle of the road on these .
2.) Make sure , if you have any fossil fuel appliances in your home such as Gas Furnaces , Oil Furnaces, Gas Heaters , Gas Logs , Oil / Gas Boilers that you have a GOOD Carbon monoxide detector that has a battery back up in place.
3.) Change those batteries in smoke / CO detectors , and test devices.
4.) Close draps and blinds , this will help keep the heat in home from leaking through those leaky windows .
5.) Make sure those storm windows are closed , helping to keep heat in home.
6.) Make sure your doors have good door seals on them to prevent that cold from seeping in.
7.) We design systems for our area to maintain temps inside the structure based on 18 degrees outside temperature , when temperatures drop below this, the system may not be able to keep up.
( If we design them for lower than 18 degrees outside , the equipment would be gross oversized most of the year. Dont be suprised if the thermostat doesn't meet the temperature requested, the units may run continuously .)
8.) If you are home and the power starts cutting on and off , get to thermostat right away and cut that system off to help prevent damage until power is straightened out
GAS FURNACE TIPS.
1.) Check your fuel tank levels. Make sure you have sufficient quantity available for at least a few weeks .
2.) Make sure keep the area outside around the exhaust venting clear of snow and scrubs ( Most of the newer furnaces are PVC piped and piped outside to side wall ,if we get the amount of snow they are calling for , they will be buried, there maybe more than one pipe coming out of the wall . Usually one is air intake , other is exhuast pipe .
(I will post a picture in the commentscof what exhuast pipes look like.)
OIL FURNACE TIPS.
1) Make sure your tank has sufficient fuel level ( at least a few weeks worth ) keep in mind that fuel trucks may NOT be able to get to you for a while due to the amount of ice and snow .
Keep in mind that the oil pickup lines are usually located approximately 2-4" from bottom of tank , when you are at this level you are almost out of fuel.
2.) We recommend when you get fuel , if anyway possible to shut the furnace off and let the sediment settle down in tank before putting furnace back in service ( prevents sediment that is stired at fuel drop from being suctioned into furnace clogging fuel filters and nozzles.
We usually advise 1- 2 Hours off time after filling .
3.) Add fuel treatment NOW before it gets cold. This prevents it from gelling to start with. If they gel up , it is hard to get them flowing again in extreme temperatures.
This only applies to above ground tanks exposed to the outside temps.
4.) Make sure those air filters are clean .
MOBIL HOME OIL / GAS.
1) Make sure air filters are clean.
2.) Make sure to clear around the flue pipe on roof. If snow is deep enough , it will cover the exhuast and the furnace intake causing it to s***f itself out. ( Most Mobil home furnaces have a roof stack that exhuast out the inner pipe , and draw outside air to burn from between the two pipes. )
HEATPUMPS.
1.) Check those air filters. Make sure they are clean.
2.) During the storm, make sure the snow is cleared from around the unit at least 2 foot around it. Also make sure top is clean and clear Be EXTREMELY CAREFUL using a shovel around the outside unit, carefully remove snow up close by hand . Digging with a shovel around outside unit is dangerous, to much chance of puncturing a line or coils .
3.) Make sure fan blades are turning and not frozen to side of casing.
(Unless unit is in defrost mode , in this mode the fan is stopped to help get the coils warm and defrosted . If the unit is in Defrost Mode , you will feel heat coming from top of unit. You will see steam coming from it ,the unit is NOT on fire.
Heatpumps will frost over as they run , more so when there is a lot of moisture in the air. Heat pump have a control that monitors coil temperature ( defrost thermostat ) , when the circuit board determines needs to defrost , you will hear a loud swooshing sound , it's normal , comes from the unit switching the reversing valve , turning system into AC mode , the defrost control cuts the outside fan off , and activates aux heat to supplement, this will defrost the coils .
4.) If you can not safely access your outside unit to clear it and get blades defrosted , you can switch to emergency heat mode until the storm pases.
EMERGENCY HEAT mode runs strickly the electric strips in inside air handler, locks outside unit off.
( Just remember to cut it back to normal after storm, or you will have a large electric bill. )
The emergency heat will most likely be running with the temps we are expecting down in the single digits with some nights below 0 with
Wind chill also.
Hope this helps.
