November 26, 2018

Turning Your Furnace Off While Away

The holidays are upon us and many families are going to be planning vacations to visit family and/or to travel to tropical destinations. When planning for an upcoming vacation during the winter, there is more to getting ready than just packing the suitcases and making travel plans. There are things, every homeowner needs to do in order to prepare their home for an upcoming vacation, including determining what to do with the furnace.

Turning Off the Furnace

Many homeowners throughout the St. Louis area, ask if they should turn off the furnace before going on vacation. The initial thought is “yes,” because it will save money on upcoming utility bills. Unfortunately, turning off the furnace may cause damage to the home that exceeds any amount of money saved by turning it off.

Possible Damage

Depending upon what the weather is like and how cold temperatures get, turning off the furnace could cause damage to the home’s water pipes. Especially if temperatures get close to and below freezing. If the pipes freeze and burst, it could cause thousands of dollars of damage needing to be repaired. That’s quite a bit more than what would be saved by turning the furnace off completely.

Setting the Temperature

Though the furnace does not need to be set to run as if someone were home. Just turning it down a little bit can help prevent damage to the home. Setting the furnace temperature ten degrees cooler than what it would normally be set at in the winter can still save some money and avoid costly damage.

Additional Precautions

It is also recommended homeowners take additional precautions to ensure the heating system runs efficiently while away. Check to see if the air filter is clean and all wiring is free of any noticeable damage. Take a few moments to listen for any strange noises or smells coming from the heating unit. This will help ensure the unit runs efficiently and without incident while on vacation.

Exceptional Furnace Repair Services

Those with additional questions about setting the furnace while on vacation or needing help with their AC and heating needs in St. Louis and surrounding areas should contact Scott-Lee Heating Company today!