How to prevent frozen pipes and furnace failure during a winter storm

Expert tips to prep your HVAC for winter storms

As a winter storm approaches, expert HVAC and plumbing advice highlights critical steps to safeguard your home. Key recommendations include replacing furnace filters to maintain efficiency and using visual "view doors" on modern units to diagnose system codes. Additionally, homeowners are urged to prevent burst pipes by keeping faucets at a constant drip and insulating both indoor and outdoor fixtures.

ATLANTA - As a winter storm approaches, HVAC professionals are seeing a surge in service calls while urging homeowners to take immediate preventative measures to ensure their heating and plumbing systems survive the freeze.

What they're saying:

Scott Patton, a comfort advisor with Keep Smiling Plumbing, Electric, Heating and Cooling, has spent more than 30 years in the industry. He said the arrival of extreme weather marks the busiest time of year for technicians.

"Anytime the weather is bad, hot or cold, it’s busy for us," Patton said. "When you are the least comfortable, we are the most busy."

To avoid system failures during the storm, experts say the first line of defense is a simple maintenance task: changing the air filter. While filters should generally be replaced twice a year, Patton noted that a clogged filter can lead to more than just poor air quality.

"That will reduce efficiency and performance which will give you higher utility bills, operating costs and it will reduce the longevity of your system," Patton said.

If a furnace does fail, Patton suggested that homeowners check for a small "view door" on their unit. Most modern furnaces feature an internal LED light that flashes a specific code.

"The LED light will flash a code," Patton said. "There is the sticker where you can see a list of codes that will tell you, based on the number of flashes, what’s going on with your furnace."

Relaying this code to a certified technician can help speed up the repair process.

What you can do:

Plumbing is also a major concern during a deep freeze. Patton recommends keeping faucets at a constant drip to prevent pipes from bursting.

"By keeping the water moving in your pipe, it won't freeze," Patton said. "It’s harder for moving water to freeze than water that’s standing still. With the constant drip, that means water is moving, so it's less likely to freeze."

Outside faucets should be covered with insulated protectors from a hardware store or wrapped in towels.

When it comes to the thermostat, while 68 degrees is the standard winter recommendation, Patton said homeowners should find a balance between comfort and cost.

"Keep the temperature at what’s comfortable for you and what you can afford power bill-wise," Patton said.

Finally, for those planning to use portable generators during potential power outages, experts remind residents to keep the units outside of their homes.