Those of us living in the Northeast know all too well the cumulative effects that ice, snow and wind can have on our homes inside and out. Fortunately there are steps you can take to protect your home from the potential damage winter can inflict. Being aware of how extreme weather can affect your home is the first step towards averting damage. Some weather-related threats to your home are more readily apparent than others. As we brace ourselves for more extreme weather this season, I wanted to examine a sometimes overlooked hazard that comes with winter weather: melting snow and the adverse effects it can have on your home and HVAC system. After a heavy snowfall, one thing is for sure: sooner or later, water will follow. This is just one of those laws of nature that homeowners must deal with. Proper drainage and runoff can go a long way to diverting snow melt away from your home’s foundation, but even with proper safeguards, water can sometimes still get in. And if you have poor drainage or your sump pump is not in good working order, then melting snow can create expensive problems very quickly.

Allowing even an inch of water to trickle across your basement floor can result in more than $10,000 in damages to your home. Of course one of the most vulnerable and expensive appliances at risk of damage is your HVAC system. To ensure that your system remains safe during periods of intense snow melt, here are some potential hazards to look out for, as well as tips from the experts at Sila.self contained ac units for sale If you have a gas furnace, you’ll want to make sure that the exhaust and intake pipes are well protected from snow accumulation and melting snow. portable ac unit videoWhether they are located in the roof or a side wall, these pipes, without proper safeguards, can become vulnerable. ac unit in tonIf melting snow is able to seep in and re-freeze, the pipes may become covered in ice, which can cause your furnace to shut down.

Both gas furnaces and boilers have valves and controls that are particularly vulnerable to water damage. Corrosion often occurs inside them, which can lead to problems even if the outside of the device appears dry. Water damage most frequently leads to reliability issues, but more severe consequences such as fire cannot be dismissed. If you suspect that water from flooding or melting snow has reached your gas appliance, get the system checked by a professional as soon as possible. Water from melting snow can drip from your roof or gutters on to your heat pump and fan blades. Should that water turn back into ice, it will likely put the unit out of balance, and the resulting vibrations can lead to refrigeration leaks. Frost on the coil is entirely normal; however, if your unit becomes encased in ice, you should address the problem immediately to avoid energy loss and damage to your unit. During the winter months, our heating systems are running pretty much non-stop. Thus certain parts—air filters, for example—will need to be replaced more often to maintain consistent indoor temperature and optimal air circulation.

Clogged filters will restrict air flow and can result in a system that struggles to reach the temperature of the thermostat. A Sila technician can evaluate your system and readily identify areas where it may be vulnerable to snow melt and other effects of winter weather. It’s always a good idea to schedule Clean and Check service and other regular maintenance before winter arrives to ensure that your system will run smoothly when heavy snow and subzero temperatures strike.CALL ECC-HVAC - 770-544-8761 See Ice on your outside Condensing unit?July 21, 2015If you are seeing ice on your air conditioner outside, it is most likely a leak somewhere in the coil within the condenser unit, in your line set, or either in the evaporator coil located in a separate part of your home, in the attic, basement or crawl space. There are two likely reasons which may cause this problem. First, the airflow may be restricted which can eventually cause the unit to ice up. Second, it may be due to not having enough refrigerant in the air conditioning system.

If this is the case, there may not be not enough freon to get the cold air moving through the coil; therefore causing the coil and parts around it to freeze up and your home is not getting the cool air it needs. Follow these steps and your home will be back to normal in no time. Turn your thermostat all the way off and turn the fan on. Check your filters, vents, and registers for debris. Call Efficient Cooling Concepts to make a quick and accurate diagnosis of the problem!Every Problem has a Solution My AC isn’t working. My AC is making a strange noise. « Back Next » This can be Caused by your Thermostat: Make sure your thermostat is turned On Set 3 degrees below room temperature Turn Cool, not fan or heat If the thermostat screen is blank, then the battery is dead. Your Air Filter May be Dirty. Check yours and change if visibly dirty Your AC’s circuit breaker may have been tripped: Here’s what to do:

Find your breaker box and look for the circuit labeled “air conditioner” Try flipping that circuit to “off” and then “on” Give your air conditioner a couple minutes and see if it comes on now Glad we were able to help you solve your problem. We’ll be here if you need us again. Sounds like you need expert care. Please turn off your system and get professional help. Schedule your repair appointment My heater isn't working My heater is making a strange noise There's a strange smell when my heater runs No air is coming out of the vents Air is coming out of the vents, but it's not warm Make sure power is getting to the furnace Check your home’s electrical panel. Flip the furnace’s circuit to “off” and then “on” again. Look for a switch (like a light switch) near your furnace and make sure it is set to "on". Your heat pump’s circuit breaker may have been tripped. Find your breaker box and look for the circuit labeled “heat pump” or “air conditioner”.

Try flipping that circuit to “off” and then “on”. Give your heat pump a couple minutes and see if it comes on now. Note: If your heat pump is regularly tripping your circuit breaker, contact us immediately as there is a larger problem. Is there steam coming from the unit, as well? This is your heat pump's normal defrost mode. A moldy smell (like a dirty sock or locker room) This is likely normal. The smell should go away in a few minutes. Contact us if the smell persists. Turn off your furnace now! There could be a dangerous gas leak in your home. Turn off your furnace immediately and contact a heating repair person. You need your regular maintenance This is usually caused by a dirty coil and/or lack of regular maintenance on your heater. Basset Heating & Air Conditioning of Colorado Springs specializes in residential air conditioner installation and replacement. Need a heating solution for your home? Our team provides the highest level of quality in furnace installations and replacements.

Your indoor air quality is very important in terms of your family’s health and enjoyment inside of your Colorado Springs home. If your hot showers are becoming decidedly shorter and you have noticed a rusty color to the water, it is probably time to consider replacing that old water heater. Video Gallery Share This VideoThey came quickly, the technician was very professional and they gave me a fair price up-front before any work was done. I will use them again in the future if I need any plumbing work done in my home.I called after hours when my water heater flooded my basement. The technician was at my house within an hour and was able to fix my water heater that night. He even was able to get a restoration company to my house that same night to start cleaning the mess in the basement. The technician was very nice and the rate were surprisingly reasonable for an after hours call. During this last storn of out my furnace went out had called around to get a few different quotes, they were all outrageous and then I called Basset Plumbing and Heating and his prices were very reasonable compared to the others I had called for quotes.

He made it a point to get to me the same day that i called and even came early. Thank god he did because I have kids and it just got colder and colder outside. i will definitely use him again but I will also refer him to all of my friends and family . Oh and I need to also say that he was the nicest guy and cleaned up after himself, he made sure that he left no mess afterwards. Thank you again Paul Prentiss and Basset Plumbing and Heating.One of the few companies that actually responds after hours on a weekend. Service was prompt, professional and very reasonably priced. Its nice to know there is a heating company that really treats its customers like people. petent and honest--everything you want in a service technician! Basset Heating went above and beyond our expectations in the service call, and seemed to genuinely care that our heater was repaired to a high standard. We will recommend this company to our friends.Saved me over $1,000 from a competitor bid on a new air conditioning system.

Professionally installed and works wonderfully. Showed up on time as promised and issued the necessary permits so there weren't any surprises. Friendly and courteous service. Explained everything we needed to know about operating and maintaining our new AC as well as our existing furnace. Will definitely recommend to our friends and neighbors.Very professional and courteous. Helped explain how my heater worked and gave me tips on how to maintain it. Was reasonably priced and did a fantastic job. I would recommend to all my friends and would definitely use them again.Basset Heating and Air was able to repair my system after I was Mislead by another company into believing I would have to replace the entire system at a very substantial cost. I literally saved thousands of dollars by getting a second opinion and now my system works great! The repairman was honest, courteous and very friendly. I will definitely recommend them to my friends, family and neighbors. Fixed my AC this summer. Works better now than it has in years.

I am very happy with Basset Heating and Air. Was very nice and clean-cut.I had called three heating and air conditioning businesses before calling Basset about my error code 33 on my furnace. They all wanted to send a tech out and would not be for hours. At Basset, Mike had called me back within a half hour and talked me through steps to take. I had my furnace working within 15 minutes with no money out of pocket. Would recommend Basset Heating and Air Conditioning to anyone.Was able to get out earlier than quoted and showed me how to keep my furnace from having the same problem happen again. Way better than the competition!I was very pleased with their service - they came out within an hour of my call, provided info on how to solve the simple problem myself, and were very reasonably priced.  I will definitely use them again.I will only use Basset for my heating and cooling needs. It's nice to see that customer service is still a part of some businesses.1111111111111 We Service All Makes, Brands and Models