DIY: How to keep your heat running when its freezing outside!

With heat pumps and high efficiency furnaces becoming more popular than ever in the Northwest, a little basic knowledge of these units could prevent a no-heat situation at your house.

One of the main aspects of high efficiency heat pumps and furnaces is that they require a condensation line for water to drain from these ultra efficient units. These condensate lines typically drain outside and normally you shouldn’t have a problem with them. However, as it gets cold outside, we do get some calls about condensate lines freezing. When they freeze and water cannot exit, your heating system will automatically shut off.

Frozen Condensate Line Remedies

If you find yourself in this situation there are a couple of things you can do to help get your heating system back up and running.

• The most simple thing to do is take a heating device like a hair dryer and gently apply heat to the problem area. This will unfreeze your line and get the unit back up and running.
• Another solution if you live in higher elevation areas that experience colder temperatures on a more regular basis is to buy some heat tape at your local hardware store. This will cost you approximately $20 and can be wrapped around problem areas on your condensate line. This will ensure that the water does not freeze.

While equipment can develop other problems that require a qualified technician, these simple tips might be all it takes to get your heat on again.

If you have any questions about this issue or any other home improvement questions, give our team of experts a call at 1-800-398-HOME (4663). We look forward to chatting with you and keeping you and your family warm for the holidays.