Are You and Your Home Ready for the Extreme Cold?

With months of colder weather approaching, homeowners should be looking at ways to equip their home for plunging temperatures– here’s how you can prepare and help ensure peace of mind throughout the winter.

1. Trim Trees and Clear Debris

To avoid the risk of injury and potential property damage, consider trimming back tree branches that hang close to your home.

2. Book a Professional Furnace Inspection

A furnace check-up should be scheduled before temperatures drop to help ensure your furnace is working properly and avoid long wait- times during the coldest months of the year.

• Sidestep the Winter Rush: Planning ahead with a fall service appointment will help ensure your furnace is ready to go when you need it the most. It also means finding a time that is quick and convenient for you rather than competing with other homeowners during holidays or the busy season.
• Prevent Costly Emergency Repairs: Skipping regular furnace maintenance could cost you in the long run with expensive emergency repairs. Booking a fall appointment can help prevent untimely breakdowns during the colder months of the year.
• Make the Call: Reliance^® representatives are available 24/7 to answer your heating-related questions and to schedule an appointment booking.

Remember, an annual furnace inspection could help maintain or improve your furnace’s efficiency as well as give you peace of mind throughout the year!

3. Avoid the Freeze

Water molecules expand when they freeze putting tremendous pressure on pipes and other water lines which can cause them to burst. Reliance recommends the following tips to help avoid this costly inconvenience:

• Drip Your Faucets: Running the water on low during the coldest days of the year could help prevent water from freezing in your pipes.
• Seal It: Seal air leaks near plumbing lines to prevent cold air and condensation from creeping in.
• Monitor Temperature: Prevent temperatures inside the home (especially near pipes and water lines) from dropping below freezing. Direct warm air to the areas of the house that are colder or located near exterior walls.
• Make the Call: A qualified Reliance expert can help ensure your plumbing is winter ready.

Here are four common furnace issues that you can troubleshoot on your own before calling the professionals.

• Check for dirty furnace filters
  • Dirty air filters are often the culprit behind an inefficiently performing furnace. That’s because air filters are designed to trap dust, dirt and debris like hair, but over time this can restrict or block vital air flow, overheating the heat exchanger and preventing your furnace from working as it should.
  • To fix the issue, simply purchase a new filter with the correct specifications and size and follow the instructions in your owner’s manual to make the switch.
• Is your thermostat working?
  • To troubleshoot, set your thermostat to heat instead of cool, then set it to 5 degrees above room temperature and see if the furnace comes on.
  • If it’s not working as it should, the problem could be as simple and straightforward as the thermostat’s batteries. When the batteries die, the display will go blank and the thermostat will no longer be able to operate your heating and cooling system. A good way to avoid this issue is to proactively replace the batteries every year.
• Check to see if your furnace is turned on
  • If you’ve had repairs or maintenance work done recently, you should check to ensure that your furnace was turned back on. Simply look for a standard wall switch on or near the furnace and check if it’s in the on or off position.
    Or
  • Check whether the furnace’s circuit breaker has been tripped at your home’s main breaker panel. A power surge or other problem could have tripped the circuit breaker and shut off the unit. Reset the breakers and try to turn on the furnace again. If the breakers continue to trip, call for service.
• Inspect your air ducts
  • Have you noticed cold spots in your home even when hot air is coming out of the vents? Check to see your air ducts are fully open in each room.

If you’ve checked all of the above and your furnace still isn’t working, then it’s definitely time to call in the professionals. Furnace repairs need to be completed by licensed professionals, so it’s essential that you contact a reputable company with certified HVAC repair technicians, like Reliance – our team of licensed technicians and home comfort advisors are here to help you stay comfortable every season of the year.