Winter Tips

Cold weather is just around the corner.  Here are some tips to keep your apartment/home warm during freezing temperatures.

1. Set thermostat at a reasonable temperature.  DOE suggests setting your thermostat to 68 degrees during the day and lower at night.  The higher you set the thermostat that harder your unit has to work and this can cause major mechanical issues.  Your unit will not work efficiently and may actually stop working if the temperature is not set correctly, plus you could see higher electric bills and even be charged for your unit repairs. 
2. Instead of adjusting your thermostat - wear layers of loose fitting clothing to stay warm.
3. If you see your outside unit frozen over  - turn off your unit and call for service.
4. If your unit is not working properly - turn off unit and call for service.  Let our onsite HVAC tech evaluate your unit and determine if it is a mechanical issue or if the temperature is just too cold for the heat pump to keep up with temperature.
5. Keep air vents and air intake vent unobstructed and clean.
6. Close off rooms that do not have water pipes going into them.  This will keep the heat centralized to the area you are using.
7. When temperatures are at freezing or below, open up the cabinets at the sink in the kitchen and bathrooms to allow heat into those areas, and allow water to drip from the faucets.  This will help keep your water from freezing in the pipes.  If the water does freeze contact the emergency maintenance immediately to report and leave the faucets on.  Frozen water in the pipes can cause the pipes to burst and will cause flooding in the unit.
8. Be prepared for cold weather.  Have extra water on hand in case your pipes do freeze.
9. Change out your curtains for insulated curtains during the winter months.
10. Put a draft stopper or towels at the base of your exterior doors and windows to help prevent drafts.
11. Have extra blankets ready to bundle up in case power goes out. 
12. If your unit has ceiling fans, reverse the direction of the fan to rotate clockwise at a low speed.  This will help push warm air that has risen back down into the room.
13. Be a good neighbor and check on your neighbors. 

We want everyone to be warm and safe this winter!