New England winters bring a fair amount of snow and cold weather, make sure to test your heating system(s) today. If you find your system not working properly, call us at 508-643-5114 to have one of our technician’s evaluate the system. We expect to be very busy during storms, so the sooner you call, the better. Below are some tips to help keep your home and family safe during the storm:
- Keep any intake and exhaust vents for your heating system(s) clear of snow or ice build-up.
- If you have a high efficiency heating system, make sure all condensate drains are clear of snow or ice build-up. If you see water backing up into your home, the condensate drain may be filled with snow or ice. Call us immediately if you see water back-up into your home.
- If you have a heat pump system, clear the sides and top of the condenser of all snow and ice.
- Make sure you have fresh batteries in all smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors.
- If your heat goes down and you are concerned about pipes freezing, let cold water drip from your faucets. Running water through the pipe – even a trickle- helps keep pipes from freezing.
- In addition to cracking your faucets, get a bottle of water, pour a small amount out and leave the bottle in the basement near your heating system or water pipes. If you see the bottle of water begin to get slushy, it is time to shut down the water and drain your system.
- Consider closing the damper on your fireplace flue (if the fireplace is not in use) to help keep warm air from escaping up the flue.
- Open the cabinet door under sinks/to your mechanical room if you feel temperatures are getting low in those areas, to let warm air into unconditioned spaces where water piping is present.
