Over the years, our team here at Mark Lindsay and Son Plumbing & Heating has acquired a lot of knowledge on how to prepare your home during arctic temperatures and wind chill factors that can affect your home if not properly prepared.

We would like to share this with you so you can protect your home, avoid a plumbing emergency, and prepare before the cold weather hits here in Newfoundland, West Milford, and the surrounding areas.

Oil and Propane Tanks

Check your fuel levels.

If you have a Wi-Fi gauge, great. If not, please visually check the level of fuel in your tank.

During extreme cold weather that lasts more than a day or two, many households do not realize how much fuel is being consumed by their heating system. You can run out early if you are not mindful of it.

For oil tanks, we strongly recommend installing 30 gallons of kerosene in your tank before the heating season begins. This helps eliminate water in the tank and also helps clean the burners. Reach out to your oil company for assistance and recommendations.

Also make sure snow is kept away from generators, oil tanks, and propane tanks. Create clear access paths for fuel deliveries. Keep your propane regulator clear of ice and snow — regulators can and do freeze.

Thermostats and Freeze Prevention

If you have setback thermostats, remove all programmed setbacks during extreme cold weather.

Keep your thermostats set at 70 degrees. This helps eliminate cold spots from drafts that can cause freeze-ups in your heating pipes.

Hybrid Heat Systems

This is a big one.

Please use your main heating source during extreme cold weather. Hybrid systems are designed for cooler weather, not freezing temperatures.

If you use a fireplace, wood stove, or pellet stove, be mindful of where your thermostat is located. It may satisfy the temperature setting in that room and prevent your main heating system from kicking on. This can cause freezing of your heating or water lines in other areas of the home.

Heat Pumps

If you use heat pumps for primary heat, you must keep the outside units clear of snow buildup.

Protect your outdoor equipment from snow and ice falling onto it. This winter, we have seen damage to heat pump systems from not being protected against snow and ice.

Heat pumps require proper airflow to work properly, so please be careful when moving snow away from them.

Crawl Spaces

Before winter, check your crawl space for any daylight coming through. Seal all holes and make sure your crawl space door is insulated and sealed tight.

If you have equipment in a crawl space, backup heat should be installed to keep the space between 35 and 40 degrees. This helps prevent well tanks, city water lines, and heating systems from freezing.

Unheated Garages

If your garage is not heated and you have a bathroom above it or heating loops in the ceiling, make sure your garage doors are tightly sealed from daylight.

Some type of auxiliary heat should be installed to keep the garage between 35 and 40 degrees.

Most houses today use PEX piping. These pipes can freeze during extreme cold temperatures, and there is often no easy way to safely defrost them.

Utility Rooms

This we emphasize the most:

Keep your utility rooms — where your heating systems are located — clean of debris, well-lighted, and with an outlet nearby.

This allows for a speedier repair and helps get your system back up and running as quickly as possible.

Snow and Emergency Access

Snow management is very important, especially around basement and crawl space entrances.

During emergencies in Newfoundland, West Milford, and surrounding communities, our technicians need safe access to your home so we can respond quickly and safely.

Keep snow cleared from:

• Basement doors
• Crawl space entries
• Generators
• Oil tanks
• Propane tanks

A Word of Thanks

We would like to thank our entire team for their dedication and hard work during these extreme storms and temperatures!

Our team worked tirelessly around the clock to service as many homes as possible over the last few weeks. We extend our apologies to those we could not get to during peak demand.

If you have any concerns about preparing your home for extreme cold weather in Newfoundland, West Milford, or the surrounding area, please feel free to reach out to Mark Lindsay and Son.. We are always here to help!

CALL NOW (973) 728-8900 CALL NOW (973) 728-8900