With all the cold weather we’ve been having lately, we, Southerners, are starting to learn all that it takes to deal with the snow we aren’t really used to. While we know a lot of that means learning how to drive in snow (if you even leave the house at all), there’s another thing you need to learn — snow affects your heating system. If you want to protect your home from danger and discomfort this winter, you’ll need to know how.
Snow can cause corrosion.
Once temperatures start to warm up and all that snow starts to melt, your furnace or boiler can suffer. Excess water can cause certain controls on your metal unit to corrode, making it less reliable.
Snow can block the air intakes.
In order to function properly, your furnace system needs to take in fresh air to treat for your home. If snow is pushed up against certain vents, your air intakes can be blocked and your furnace can end up shutting down — leaving you stuck in a cold home.
Snow can bend your fans/fins.
If snow builds up on your outdoor unit, it can weight down, and eventually bend, the unit’s fans. You may be able to tell that the fans are bent if you hear loud sounds coming from your unit when it’s on. An easy way to protect your fins is by keeping your outdoor unit covered and placing a wooden board on top of it.
Snow can block the exhaust.
Just like it needs to take in fresh air, your furnace needs to expel air through an exhaust vent. If the vent is blocked by snow, your furnace won’t be able to function properly. While this can result in your furnace shutting down, it could also cause too much heat to build up and start a fire. Make sure to always clear snow from around your furnace’s air intake and exhaust vents to ensure your home stays safe and comfortable.
When it comes to your furnace working well, you can trust the experts at Air Treatment Company! Since 1958, we’ve enjoyed providing comfort and improving indoor air quality to Northern Virginia homeowners, and we take pride in offering top-notch service and quality work at a fair price. For more information or to schedule a service, call us at (703) 270-0881.