Homeowner Tips for Winter Weather Emergencies

Please be aware that all furnaces, even gas furnaces, must have electrical power to operate. If your power is out your heating system will not work. 

What you can do if you have power but no heat or not enough heat: 

Heat Pumps 

• Make sure the breakers in your panel box (breaker box) are in the ON position. 
• If you have experienced a lot of blowing and drifting snow, be sure to clear away snow that may be covering your outdoor unit. 
• Be sure your air filter is clean and all your registers are open. 

Gas Furnaces 

• If you have an exhaust and intake pipe on the side of your house be sure to clear away any drifting snow that may cover them. 
• If your furnace has been off for several hours, and your house is cold, you may be able to reset the furnace by turning it off and back on at the thermostat. 
• Be sure your air filter is clean and all your registers are open. 

What you can do to prevent your pipes from freezing: 

• Turn on a small stream of hot and cold water on all the faucets in the house. Even a small stream of water will keep pipes from freezing in extremely cold weather. 

• Open the cabinet doors under all sinks. This will help warmer air get to the pipes. 
• Close garage and crawlspace doors closed to keep cold outside air from getting to pipes. 
• Locate your main water shut off. If your pipes do freeze and burst you will want to shut the water off as quickly as possible.