Getting Ready for East Texas Cold Snaps

February 2021

The February 2021 winter storm brought days of extreme cold, snow and ice and widespread power outages across Texas (Wikipedia: 2021 Texas power crisis). It showed how quickly a heating failure, or a power failure, becomes dangerous. The National Weather Service Shreveport office issues the hard freeze and winter storm warnings for Tyler and Smith County (National Weather Service Shreveport (covers Tyler and Smith County)).

Fall checklist

• Replace the filter.
• Run the heat on a cool day before the first front, and let any dusty smell burn off.
• Test carbon monoxide alarms and replace batteries. The CPSC recommends alarms on every level and outside sleeping areas (U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, carbon monoxide).
• Schedule a heating check, including burners, flame sensor and venting on gas furnaces, and heat strips and defrost on heat pumps.
• Know where your gas shutoff and breakers are.

Heat pumps in the cold

Heat pumps move heat from outdoor air into the house. As it gets colder, they deliver less heat, and backup electric heat strips help. The U.S. Department of Energy explains this and notes that newer cold-climate models perform better at low temperatures (U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Saver (heat pumps)). Frost on the outdoor coil is normal; the unit defrosts itself periodically, sometimes with a puff of steam. A unit buried in ice is not normal.

Emergency heat runs only the heat strips. Use it if the outdoor unit fails, not as a routine setting.

Gas furnace safety

• Keep the area around the furnace clear of storage.
• Make sure the vent outside is clear of debris and, in a storm, snow or ice.
• Never use a gas oven or range to heat the house.
• Never run a generator indoors or in a garage.

If the power goes out

• Close off unused rooms and gather in one room.
• Use only heaters rated for indoor use, with plenty of clearance.
• When power returns, turn the thermostat down first, then back up after a few minutes, so the system does not restart under a heavy load all at once.

Pipes and outdoor units

Insulate exposed pipes and drip faucets as advised during hard freezes. Keep snow and ice from piling against the outdoor unit. See furnace and heat pump repair and what shapes a heating repair.

Related pages: furnace & heat pump repair, hvac maintenance & tune-ups, ac & heat pump replacement, and what shapes an estimate.

Sources: National Weather Service Shreveport (covers Tyler and Smith County); Wikipedia: 2021 Texas power crisis; U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, carbon monoxide; U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Saver (heat pumps).