Staying warm in winter for less

Katie Peterson
Posted 1/15/18

Old Man Winter has arrived in Northern Illinois and brought bitter cold temperatures with him.

Many in the area are staying inside and turning up the heat to keep warm during the winter months.

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Staying warm in winter for less

Posted

ROCHELLE –– Old Man Winter has arrived in Northern Illinois and brought bitter cold temperatures with him.
Many in the area are staying inside and turning up the heat to keep warm during the winter months. Area HVAC specialists advise home owners their number one piece of advice is to service the heating system. While the heater has been running for a few months now, it is not too late to have the system checked.
Chris Hull, owner of Hull HVAC, explained the number one service call he receives in the winter is because of a dirty filter.
“The furnace goes off on a limit,” stated Hull. “If they change the filter it will prolong the life of the motor and components of the heater.”
He encourages homeowners to change their filters every 30 days, stating a one inch filter is plugged within three months.
When servicing a heating system for winter  a local specialist can ensure the furnace filter is replaced and clean. As well as check that the heating system has proper gas flow. Todd Capes with Anderson Plumbing recommends homeowners service their furnaces annually.

Capes added, a furnace service can solve simple issues and help prevent a service call on a frigid winter day and ensure clean air is filtered through the house.
Capes explained it is best for homeowners to keep their heat set between 68 and 75 degrees during the cold winter months. However, he explained homeowners need to know their house and what is best for the plumbing and their personal preference.  
Plumbing
The local professionals offered tips for homeowners to also protect pipes during a cold snap and prevent freezing pipes and major problems.
Kevin Pemberton, owner of Pemberton Plumbing advises homeowners to keep their furnace set at a consistent temperature rather than lower at night so the furnace does not have to work as hard to reheat when temperatures are extremely cold.
Hull recommends homeowners lower the temperature by three to five degrees at night or when the house is empty, when the outside temperature is around 40 to 50 degrees but does not recommend once the outside temperature has dipped below 20 or 25 degrees.
Other tips include opening cabinet doors to ensure heat reaches pipes tucked in kitchen and bathroom plumbing.
Hull explained a small trickle of luke warm water can help prevent pipes from freezing. The slow trickle will act as a pressure relief in the pipes.
“If you notice a pipe getting frosted, heat the pipe with a nonflammable heat source, such as a hair dryer,” Hull added.
A common mistake homeowners make is closing vents to unused rooms. Hull advises keeping all vents open as closed vents create cold spots making the furnace work harder to heat the area.
Capes added it only takes two or three extremely cold days for an issue to arise and that can cause a domino effect. Actions taken immediately can help prevent a serious issue.
“If you hear a noise don’t wait to call, the problem will only get bigger,” Pemberton added.