With dropping temperatures and increased
likelihood of snowfall, a lot can go wrong around your home during winter.
You may even find yourself in need of prompt
heating repair, so you can at least be comfortable inside your house.
Plenty of homeowners have horror stories of things
breaking down around the house due to snow and ice,
so take action to prevent them from happening to you.
BROKEN-DOWN HEATER
There is a lot that can go wrong with a heater. Like many other Utah residents, you may end up blowing a fuse or putting out the pilot light. Scary! In the event your heater does not supply sufficient warm air, then the problem could lie with the thermostat. The best way to fix this is by hiring a professional so you won’t be shivering in your home. You can avoid issues like this by having a professional perform maintenance on the unit before the winter season arrives in full force.
FROZEN PIPES
When a pipe freezes, it will eventually crack and allow water to burst through. Before you know it, many gallons of water will have leaked into your home’s basement or bathroom, which creates a costly problem to repair. You can avoid this by wrapping your pipes in foam insulation before winter arrives. Some people even recommend keeping the heater running while you are out. Many people turn the heater off when they leave for work because they do not want to pay for the energy they are not using. However, keeping your house at least 68 degrees Fahrenheit can help prevent the pipes from freezing.
LARGE ICICLES
Icicles often form on the edges of roofs, and while they can be pretty, they are also extremely dangerous. Believe it or not, around 15 people die in the United States each year due to icicles! Icicles can also cause substantial property damage. Icicles form when snow builds up on your roof, melts, and then flows and refreeze to the side. You can avoid ice dams and icicles by keeping your roof and attic cold. It is recommended to keep the attic at roughly 32 degrees Fahrenheit even during the winter.
FROST HEAVE
Many homeowners are unaware of the dangers of frost heaves. They occur when there is an upwards swelling of yard soil when conditions are freezing. This results in a substantial presence of ice growing steadily toward the surface. Scary. The primary issue with this is that is can ultimately crack the foundation. The way to avoid this is to ensure your gutters continue adequately dispersing water. Your gutters should send water away from the lawn, but if they overflow, then water can get on the soil. Gutters should be adequately maintained year-round.
DIRTY AIR FILTERS
You need to swap out the air filters in your home’s HVAC system once every few months to ensure they remain clean. Over time, dirt and debris build-up, which can severely lower the indoor air quality of your abode. It makes the rest of the system not function as efficiently, and it could even break prematurely. Invest in air filters to always have in your home, so you can swap them out when needed.
FIRES FROM SPACE HEATERS
Many homeowners invest in space heaters to have around the house to keep certain areas warm. While they are effective, they also pose a significant hazard. Many home fires occur each year due to improperly using a space heater. Some of the safety protocols you can follow when using a space heater include:
- Never use the heater when it has a cracked or frayed electrical cord.
- Never allow children or pets to be in a room alone with a space heater running.
- Turn the space heater off when leaving the room for over an hour, leaving the house, or going to bed.
- Maintain a three-foot radius free from clutter around the heater.
HEAVY ICE AND SNOW ON THE ROOF
If you are not careful, then over two feet of snow can build up on your roof during a storm. This can weigh over 60 pounds, which is far too much pressure to put on a standard roof. One of the biggest issues this can lead to is the roof collapsing. Using heat tape on your roof can prevent this from happening, which could cost you up to $1,250. However, the cost of replacing the roof can exceed $20,000. Prevention will save you money in the long run.
Connect Heating, Air, Plumbing, Electrical & Refrigeration – UTAH’S CHOICE HVAC AND PLUMBING EXPERTS
The last thing any homeowner wants is to become apart of a winter home horror story. An uneventful winter concerning your home is always a good thing! Save time, energy, and your family home by contacting Connect Heating, Air, Plumbing, Electrical & Refrigeration in Utah to make sure your home’s heating unit is working perfectly for the chilly winter days ahead.
