Winter Storm 11/2/2022

With the first snow of the coming 2023 Truckee and Lake Tahoe winter season, make sure your furnace is keeping you and your house warm in the Sierras

Check your air filter and make sure it is clean. A furnace needs to be able to suck air in before it can blow warm air out! Even a slightly dirty filter can cause your furnace to turn off after a little while and not come on again. These are sometimes in the ceiling, in the floor, or in the wall. Look for a grate/grille that is much larger than your floor or ceiling air vents, or check your furnace location for a filter box. It may even be inside the furnace

Double check your furnace vent and make sure it is clear of snow. Sometimes it’s a metal vent going through your roof, sometimes it’s white PVC pipe going out the side of your house somewhere. Any blockages can stop your furnace from venting, and if this happens it will not turn on and heat. If your furnace is a high efficiency furnace that is vented through PVC, it will also have an intake vent. If this is clogged or blocked, it will also stop the furnace from working

If you have a high efficiency furnace, it will be vented through PVC pipe. These furnaces also have a condensation drain that is a smaller 1/2” or 3/4” PVC pipe that goes outside or to a pump. Make sure your condensation drain is not frozen under the house or where it pokes outside. If it is frozen, sometimes there is a “T” with an opening at the top to allow it to drain even when frozen. If a furnace like this cannot drain itself, and gets backed up with water, it will not turn on

The first big storm looks to be a long one, call Donner Heating if you have any questions, concerns, or issues with your heater