Snowstorms and Furnaces

March 17, 2016

We haven’t completely gotten through winter in Alliance just yet. Mother Nature has provided us with a few nice days, but she’s always prepped to remind us that she’s in full control. When she does, you may not have to unexpectedly call a professional for furnace service if you keep a couple simple things in mind.

Both conventional furnaces and high-efficiency furnaces exhaust waste gases out of your home. The difference with high-efficiency furnaces is that they also transfer in fresh air from outside the home. The ability for air to move easily is vital to proper and safe operation of a high-efficiency unit.

High efficiency intake and exhaust pipes can exit through the side of your home or vertically through the roof. Heavy snowfall could submerge your intake and exhaust pipes in the snow, preventing the free flow of air you have to have to run your high-efficiency furnace (High efficiency furnaces are designed to automatically shut off should a blockage take place). To prevent that from happening during a heavy snowfall, it’s crucial to:

  • [Keep|Ensure you have|Maintain]26] a 3-foot/1-meter clearance around your intake and exhaust pipes to help stop this from happening.
  • Check the area regularly to be sure that it stays clear.

While the weather in Alliance will more than likely swing up and down over the last few days of cold weather, you can’t count out the possibility of weather that can impact the performance of your furnace. At Jack's Heating, Cooling, Stoves & Fireplaces in Alliance, we are always available to inspect any areas around your home or answer any of your questions, whether they’re related to furnace service or adding a new system. Keeping you and your family safe and comfortable is our number one priority. Give us a call at 308-321-4703 to find out more information.