The heating components of your HVAC system can be impacted by extremely cold weather this winter. Here in Indiana, the average low temperatures in winter drop below freezing during five months of the season, with January and February lows often dipping down to 20 degrees or even lower. In an average winter, snowfall totals about a foot and a half.
With that forecast, a furnace can really take some heavy hits while keeping your home comfortable this winter. Here are some ways to keep heating costs low and prevent expensive damage to the components of your HVAC system in cold weather.
- Get a tuneup. First, your furnace needs annual seasonal maintenance by a qualified HVAC technician to ensure that all components are operating up to specifications, as well as to reduce the potential for malfunctions. It can also lower heating costs all winter.
- Check the air filter. In extremes of cold weather, your furnace runs longer cycles, and the system filter accumulates dirt and dust faster. This can strangle airflow and even damage critical furnace components like the heat exchanger. In cold conditions, inspect the air filter and replace it if it appears dirty — even if it’s earlier than the typical every-other-month replacement.
- Keep all vents in the house open. Frigid, unused rooms with HVAC vents closed actually pull heat away from the rest of the house. The indoor temperature imbalance that results often causes higher thermostat settings that extend furnace cycles, increasing wear and tear and the potential for malfunction.
- High-efficiency issues. A two-stage, high-efficiency furnace exhausts moist, warm air. Ice formation that occurs in moist air during very low temperatures may block the exhaust outlet and/or the nearby furnace intake, obstructing critical airflow. A safety sensor will then automatically shut down the furnace. A qualified HVAC contractor can offer suggestions to prevent ice formation in the exhaust or intake pipe.
After 100 years — and with number 101 coming up fast — the experts at Paitson Bros. stand ready with good advice and certified technicians to prevent HVAC issues in the cold weather that’s just ahead.
Jeff Paitson is a third generation business owner who continues to run the business with the same values that have been passed down from previous generations since 1922.
Jeff’s belief is that the business belongs to Jesus Christ; therefore 10 percent of the company’s profits go toward the Maryland Community Church.
Jeff is a Terre Haute Chamber of Commerce member and in his spare time, he enjoys 
Ethan Rayburn is a lifelong resident of Terre Haute and a 2005 graduate of Purdue University.
An Eagle Scout, Ethan spent four years as a non-profit executive with the Boy Scouts of America before joining Paitson Bros. as a comfort advisor and later General Manager. In that role, Ethan has brought a renewed enthusiasm for customer care, integrity, value, and service to Paitson Bros. Heating & Air Conditioning.
Ethan enjoys singing and was a member of the Purdue Varsity Glee Club. He also enjoys playing and coaching soccer, spending time with his family and two young boys, and volunteering his time and resources with his church, Terre Haute First Baptist Church, which he has attended from a very young age.
Paitson Bros
1 (812) 232-2347
Serving the Wabash Valley, IN Area Since 1922