When your furnace breaks down mid-winter, you can count on the experts at Jerry Kelly Heating & Air Conditioning to be there. We can bring you the repair and replacement services you need most, when you need them. However, a home left without a furnace for even a few hours can be exposed to some serious risks, chief among them: Freezing or bursting pipes.
The experts at Jerry Kelly Heating & Air Conditioning are here today to bring you the tips and advice you need to ensure your pipes are safe from disaster if you find your home temporarily without heat this winter.
Preliminary Preparation: Be Sure Your Pipes Are Ready
The best line of defense when it comes to your home is and will always be preparation. The best thing you can do is schedule a tune-up for your furnace every year. To ensure your pipes can handle the chill of winter,
be sure to take these steps:
- Insulate pipes. Pipes that are exposed to open air, such as those found in crawlspaces and basements, should be insulated to improve resistance to freezing and a potential frozen pipe burst. Pipe insulation is inexpensive and can simply be fitted over existing pipes with ease.
- Have adequate insulation. If you live in an older home or a home that you did not build yourself, it’s a great idea to invest in having your insulation inspected by a professional. Inadequate insulation puts your pipes at risk, and increases your heating costs to boot!
- Use heating cables. There are heating cables available on the market that apply steady heat to your pipes via electricity. These make a great precaution and can ensure your pipes are prepared to stave off a frozen pipe burst.
- Know your pipes. Be aware of where the shutoff valve to your water supply is. If the worst happens, knowing this can save you some serious stress (and flooding!).
What To Do When Your Furnace Goes Down
Besides immediately calling a dependable professional to begin repairing or replacing your furnace, there are some steps you should take to give your pipes as much help as you can afford them.
- Create a slow drip. You’ve probably heard someone say to leave a faucet running slightly in colder weather to prevent pipe freezing or a frozen pipe bursting. This is absolutely true! Leaving your water running on a low drip (as low as you can get it is fine, you don’t need the faucet running full force) reduces the risk of freezing, and in the event of a freeze occurring, reduces the risk of a burst. Why? Because it lowers the pressure buildup in your pipes, which is what often causes a burst pipe.
- Use portable heat. Electric space heaters make for an excellent emergency solution. Place them throughout your home where pipes are most vulnerable, such as the basement, or near cabinetry that houses plumbing. Do not leave heaters unattended!
- Circulate warm air. Open cabinets, closets, and other spaces that contain plumbing to circulate warmer air and reduce the chance of a freeze-up.
Emergency Furnace Solutions with Jerry Kelly Heating & Air Conditioning
In the event of furnace breakdown or failure, don’t trust your heating needs to just anyone. The certified experts at Jerry Kelly Heating & Air Conditioning are your St. Louis furnace installation and repair contractor and have the skills, tools, and experience you need to get your heating system back up and running. We’ve been providing quality solutions to our consumers for nearly forty years, and have built our reputation upon excellence and quality. Contact Jerry Kelly Heating & Air Conditioning today to learn more about our heating services, or to set up an appointment!
