Dangerous cold temperatures could cause heating issues in homes
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
With temperatures dropping below zero, experts say people should take precautions to protect their heaters from overworking and pipes from freezing.
One piece of advice -- keep home thermostats at a steady temperature day and night.
"You may incur a higher heating bill, but you can prevent a much more costly repair job if pipes freeze and burst," the American Red Cross, which includes winter storms in its disaster response mission, said in a news release.
The advice is some Mid-Missouri residents might need to heed over the next week. Temperatures in the area are forecast to stay in the teens and 20s for highs with lows as low as the single digits. The cold is expected to last into next week.
According to the Technical HVAC Institute, when heaters are overused, filters can get clogged, causing decreased airflow and reduced warmth in a home.
People should also look out for malfunctioning heating pumps during cold, snowfall and icy wind conditions.
"During the wintertime, many heat pumps fail to defrost, make sure fixtures have automatic defrost settings so it can melt away before thick layers form," the website states.
If you plan to leave your home during cold weather conditions, the Red Cross recommends leaving the heat on, set to a temperature no lower than 55 degrees.
The Columbia/Boone County Health Department tweeted ways to conserve heat at home, including avoiding unnecessarily opening doors, closing off unused rooms, blocking cracks and spaces under doors and covering windows at night.
To keep pipes from freezing, the Red Cross has several recommendations.
- Keep garage doors closed if there are water supply lines in the garage.
- Open kitchen and bathroom cabinets to allow warm air to circulate around plumbing.
- Let cold water drip from exposed pipes.
- Check all other faucets in your home, if one pipe freezes others may freeze too.
During these cold temperatures heating bills could also be an issue for families still trying to recover from the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Missouri Department of Natural Resources offers weatherization assistance to Missourians in order to help reduce utility bills.
Connie Taylor with Ameren Electric services company, said the most important thing is for people to stay safe during these conditions, and use their program to help pay bills if need be.
"It can do wonders in terms of sealing the home, when heating your home you want to just heat your home and not the neighborhood, and it's just amazing what can happen if you have drafty windows or insulation isn't secure," she said.
Ameren Missouri is currently offering extra flexible payment plans due to the recent cold weather snap.
