We checked on HVAC and plumbing companies. They are busy keeping up with service calls in these frigid temperatures.
69 News reporter Amelia Sack sought tips from technicians about keeping your home safe in this long stretch of winter weather.
The cold weather means local HVAC and plumbing companies are taking lots of calls.
“We’re seeing everything from frozen pipes we just had no water for a customer at the end of the storm, lots of breakdowns in heating systems, people with no heat and heat pumps and gas pumps and gas furnaces,” says Nathan Andreas, Owner of Andreas Plumbing/Heating & Air Conditioning.
Even a small draft can cause a big problem for your pipes.
“Make sure the home is insulated well and sealed up, sometimes there’s a gap where cold air can come through. When it’s really cold like this, those drafts sometimes can come through, when it’s really cold like this those drafts sometimes can hit the pipes and cause them to freeze. We had one like that the other day. Sometimes if you have areas where the pipes are a little more exposed, insulation and heat tape can be a really great way to prevent it as well,” says Andreas.
You want to make sure to keep your unit free and clear of snow and ice, too much build up can cause it to run inefficiently, or shut down entirely.
“If snow builds up around the outside of the coils on an outdoor unit for like a heat pump, you can have your unit trip out on what’s called high head pressure because there’s no air getting sucked through those coils,” says Jordon Defuso, HVAC Service Technician at Andreas Plumbing/Heating & Air Conditioning.
Finally, keep your furnace and dryer vents open and unclogged, to keep your home safe.
“There’s a possibility you could get some carbon monoxide or gasses back into the home, so it’s just important to make sure that you keep it clear and its gonna function much better,” says Andreas.