Severe Winter Weather and Your Heat
This weekend is stacking up to likely bring us some serious snow and frigid temps. While Hampton Roads may not typically see severe winter weather very often, ol’ Jack-Frost does visit us from time to time. Often bringing his good friends, ice and/or snow along, as well. What does that mean for your outdoor HVAC unit? Although outdoor units are built to withstand harsh weather, they still need adequate air flow to run correctly. When we do see the occasional ice storm or substantial snow you should take precaution to avoid the finding yourself and family without heat.
Yes, Ice or Snow Can Be Dangerous For My HVAC System.
Significant ice and snow can lead to your heating system running inefficiently leaving you cold in your own home. Not only will you be left in the cold, if the heat is cut off too long your homes pipes can begin to freeze sometimes leading to leaks resulting in serious damage.
So, how to prevent this? Here are a few tips for keeping your heating system clear of snow and ice during the winter storm.
Snow and Ice Maintenance
Only use a broom or brush to remove snow or ice. Do NOT use sharp objects to pry or chisel as it may damage the HVAC unit.
When removing snow or debris away from the outdoor unit be careful around the condenser. The condenser has a series of fins that allow the heat pump to transfer heat.
Clear away any icicles that may have formed above the HVAC unit. Icicles can fall and possibly damage the unit.
If your heating equipment vents outdoors through your sidewall, be sure the intake and exhaust vents are clear of snow or ice.
Check to be sure your filters are clear and clean.
If you have a programmable thermostat set it to HOLD to prevent your system of overworking to recover the daytime temperature.
Get a tune-up before cold weather arrives. This will assure your HVAC system is running at its peak performance before snow and ice become an issue.
Keep in mind most systems in the Hampton Roads area may struggle to keep up in these very low temperatures in the coming days; they are designed for weather 20-30 degrees higher than what is currently forecasted. If you find yourself without heat and in need of professional help the technicians at R. A. Styron are here to help! Call or email us at anytime! Our service technicians are well versed with tons of experience ready to get you back up and running in no time.