To the Extreme–Bearing the Bitter Cold

Even if you live under a rock, the meteorologists won’t let you avoid the drama over the extreme temperatures. It’s true, we all need to be prepared for the cold and understand what can make these subzero conditions so dangerous.

Let’s get to your furnace. Your furnace will be working overtime. A typical furnace in Indiana is designed for an outside temperature down to 0°F and should still allow you to have an indoor temperature of 70°F. This is designed based on your furnace capacity exactly equaling the heat loss of your home. This is what’s called a “perfect scenario.”

So, what happens if the temperature dips below 0°F (or close to it)? For every degree that the temperature outside drops below 0°F, potentially, so will your indoor temperature. What can you do to help keep your furnace running and your home as warm as possible?

Get regular maintenance on your HVAC system. It’s times like now that you will be so glad you did! High fives to all Club Godby Members!

Change your filter regularly. Don’t make your furnace work any harder than it needs to. Make sure that your filter is clean. A dirty filter to a furnace is like you trying to breath through a straw.

Clear vents. Make sure that your vents are clear of obstructions- curtains, furniture or your teen’s dirty laundry. You want that heat to be able to come into the room.

Close off doors and windows. It is time to shut off the outdoors. Draw blinds and curtains over your windows. This will help with heat slipping through cracks. You can do the same for doors- roll a towel like your grandma used to and place it at the bottom of your doors to the outside.

Keep on keepin’ on. Your furnace will be running continuously. Now is not the time to try and save energy by setting it back while you are gone (like setting it back to 65°F while at work). In these extreme temperatures it will never be able to regain those degrees lost.

Shut the flue. Pretty simple. If you have a fireplace (and you’re not using it-duh) shut the flue. You can lose a ton of warm air right out your chimney.

Wear layers. The truth is you will have to wear warmer clothing or simply more clothing at these times. Slip on a sweatshirt. Bust out those long johns or be like Joey from “Friends” and wear all the clothes!

Be smart. Sounds easy, but you only know what you know. Plus, a lot of you have kids who like to sabotage our best-laid plans. Have a talk with family members about what needs to be done to keep things warm indoors and then remind them 42 times throughout the day.

Don’t hesitate. If your furnace is losing ground quickly, don’t hesitate to give Godby a call. Get on the “no heat” list as quickly as possible. It will be a busy day for the techs!

Patience is a virtue. Please be patient with Godby’s service crew and technicians. On days with extreme temperatures the phones will be ringing off the hook and the technicians will be working long hours. Just know that we will be doing everything in our power to get to you. We only have so many technicians and there is only so much time in a day.

Pets and Elderly PSA. Keep pets inside and warm. They can’t handle the extreme temperatures any better than you can. Check on your elderly neighbors and friends. Make sure they are ok, their furnaces are running and have what they need, especially those living alone.

Stay warm out there friends! Now is the time to cuddle with your pooch or loved one, get under a blanket and finally read that book that has been collecting dust or catch up on your favorite show. Should you need help, remember, It’s Gotta be Godby! Call or text Godby today!