02/02/2023
From a local heating company:
Friday, we all will experience temperatures and wind chills that our homes' heating systems are NOT designed for. Negative numbers!
Newer homes will struggle to maintain temperature, and older homes will NOT maintain temperature. The temperature WILL drop while the heating system is working at full capacity.
1. Please raise the temperature in your home 2 to 4 degrees above your normal setting.
2. Take all programmable thermostats out of setback mode and set on a permanent HOLD.
3. If you have a furnace; replace the filter.
4. Keep garage doors closed.
5. Limit opening exterior doors.
6. Make sure air vents and radiators are not blocked or obstructed.
7. If you have a 90%+ furnace and boiler, you must keep the intake and exhaust clear of ice and snow. During these cold temperatures, ice can build up. A 90%+ furnace and boiler have 2 white PVC pipes; an exhaust pipe, and an intake pipe that are generally on the side or back of your home.
8. Refrain from using pellet stoves or supplemental heat forms if you have a water-based heating system. The pipes WILL freeze.
If the temperature in your home is dropping and your radiators are HOT with boiler systems or you have HOT air coming out of your vents with furnaces, DO NOT PANIC. Please make sure that your heating system continues to operate.
If the temperatures drop in your home, it will not be able to recover until temperatures rise and the windchill diminishes. Our heating systems can not overcome temperatures -20 to -30. They are sized to operate at 0 degrees outdoor. Put your thermostat on hold at 70 degrees or higher.
To help minimize temperature loss, you can boil water, make soup or stews, or bake something - it helps introduce humidity and warmer temperatures into your home. Please check on neighbors and elderly residents during these extreme temperatures. Stay warm and safe this week.
The key is to NOT panic with falling temps inside your home if you have heat coming out of your registers. It is doing all it can. If it had feelings, it would be crying!
Stay safe and bring your pets inside!
Turn pellet stove down or off during cold snap. Sat am. Put heat on so pipes wonβt freeze because they will.
P.S.
We are trying to find out the source for credit