Do These 5 Things Before the First Hard Freeze (Or Pay for It in January), by Ray Dutton's Garage on YouTube. 12 min 2 s.
- Video length
- 12 min 2 s
- Time to do it
- 1 hour
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 10
What you need
Steps
Pick a mild day this week and run the heat through one full cycle. Let it start, run and shut off on its own so you find problems before the cold night does.
If you have a heat pump, learn what a normal defrost looks like. Steam, a fan that stops and a cycle that reverses are normal, so don't panic or switch it off.
Go outside and clear snow, leaves and debris away from the outdoor heat pump unit. Keep the area around it open so air can move through the coil.
Never wrap or cover a heat pump for the winter. It needs airflow to work, and a cover can damage the unit or stop it heating.
Find the pipes and vents your furnace breathes through, then clear snow, ice and debris from them. Blocked intake or exhaust pipes can shut the furnace down.
If your furnace has a metal flue, check the cap on top. Make sure it is fitted, clear and not blocked by snow, nests or debris.
Locate the condensate drain line and check it runs freely. If water sits in it, a hard freeze can plug it and shut the furnace off.
Look at the gas meter's regulator vent and clear any snow or ice from it. Keep the vent open so the regulator can breathe.
Clear snow around the meter with a soft brush or by hand, never a shovel or ice scraper. Don't bang the meter, pipes or regulator.
Know your backup before the freeze if you use propane, a heat pump or electric heat. Check fuel levels and know what you'll do if the system stops.
Tips and common mistakes
If you ever smell gas, don't touch a switch. Get everyone out, then call your gas company or 911 from well away from the house.
Do these checks in the autumn, not in January, when a first-freeze repair call costs the most.
Clear snow after every heavy fall through the winter, not just once before the first freeze.
Don't swap out parts on the outdoor unit by mistake when the real problem is snow or ice blocking it.
Questions
Should I cover my heat pump in winter?
No. A heat pump needs airflow to work, so never wrap or cover it. Clear snow and debris away from it instead.
What does a heat pump defrost look like?
Steam, a paused outdoor fan and a short reversed cycle are all normal. Let it finish rather than switching the system off.
Why does my furnace quit on the first cold night?
Common causes are blocked intake or exhaust pipes, a frozen condensate drain, or snow and ice around the outdoor unit or gas meter vent.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
