Heating expert offers tips to protect home during cold weather

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — With frigid temperatures and snow expected this weekend experts are warning people to take precautions to keep the heat flowing in their homes.

“So with the colder temperatures coming up, what you really have to realize is your furnace is going to be asked to do more than it normally does,” said Chapman Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing General Manager Jerry Bullock.

According to Bullock, several tips will help protect your homes during the frigid weather including keeping your thermostat at a constant temperature.

“It happens a lot where people have these huge setbacks at night,” said Bullock.

“They’ll let their temperature drop down to 62 at night then get up in the morning and wanting to raise it back up and if it’s dropped in temperature all night long, then it’s just going to be that much more of a race to catch up,” said Bullock.

Avon resident Cindy Bussell says she’s witnessed firsthand what these colder temperatures can do to your home.

“Our outside unit had frozen solid and so, we had to deal with that defrost situation. So, even though it’s just been a Tuesday to Friday, it seems like forever since I’ve had heat,” said Bussell.

Bullock tells News 8 that homeowners also need to keep their vents open inside their homes. On top of that, people need to make sure their hose is disconnected and that they keep snow or ice away from heat pumps so that they run smoothly.

The most common mistake he says people won’t change their filter making their furnace work harder.

“This thing is what allows it to breathe and if you haven’t changed your filter and your furnace is working overtime, then it can’t produce what it’s supposed to and it’s built with safeties that will lock it out,” said Bullock.