15 January 2024
TOPEKA (KSNT) – When temperatures outside reach extreme lows, bumping the thermostat up may not be the best course of action.
Blue Dot Heating, Air, Plumbing and Electrical advises homeowners to keep their homes cooler in cold weather.
Brandon Barnette, the sales manager at Blue Dot, tells 27 News that extremely cold temperatures, combined with increased time spent indoors and an overworked furnace can create a ‘perfect recipe for disaster.’
“Your furnace can only do what it can do,” Barnette said. “And bumping the thermostat up just a few more degrees isn’t going to make it get hotter any faster, it’s just going to strain it. It’s just like the RPMs on your car, the higher the number, not the better.”
Keeping the thermostat set at a moderate temperature like 68 degrees, according to Barnette, is the safest play. He says this keeps the system from overworking itself and causing damage.
Other things Barnette recommends to protect a furnace are changing the filter regularly, making sure vents aren’t obstructed and letting the fan run continuously to avoid hot and cold spots.
He tells 27 News there has been a spike in calls this weekend about systems failing due to the weather.
“Definitely a lot busier weekend for the guys than we’ve seen in a long time,” Barnette said.
Blue Dot received so many reports from homeowners in the area, it had to bring in more technicians to serve them all. Since their services are offered 24/7 Barnette said having the extra hands was a huge help.
He expects the call volume to be higher than normal over the next few days as the cold snap continues.
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