The extreme cold is hard on us--and also on our homes.
We have a few things you can do that may keep you from calling the repairman.
Della Ezell and her family spent the last 24 hours without heat.
"Over the weekend we realized heat was leaving us," she said.
The temperature in their home plummeting into the 50s.
Still— the Ezell’s are thankful their heat went out before the worst of the cold spell moves in.
"We don’t want to be uncomfortable," Della said. "We want to be comfortable and warm and safe."
Local
While a heater problem like the Ezell’s experienced is unavoidable, William Johnston of Four Seasons Heating, Air Conditioning and Plumbing says there are things you can do to help.
First: check your air filter.
"Too much debris on the filter can cause restriction and overheating (which) can cause furnace to turn off," he explained.
You should also keep your thermostat at a constant temperature and make sure snow is cleared away from external exhaust pipes.
Make sure your vents are open and unobstructed.
"Sometimes people will close vents to force heat into areas they want," Johnston said. "That can have a negative effect on equipment."
Johnston says it’s also important to protect your plumbing by allowing your faucet to drip and opening your lower cabinets so heat reaches the pipes.
The Ezell’s are lucky— they were able to get their heater replaced Monday evening.
If your heater goes out during the cold we are about to experience— the situation could get dangerous very quickly.
