ALTOONA, Pa. (WTAJ) — Sub-zero temperatures making their way into Central Pennsylvania can wreak havoc on a home’s plumbing and heating system.

Jason Smithmyer, the lead technician at Smithmyer Plumbing and Heating and Heating in Altoona said temperatures like the ones the region is expecting to see next week can cause freezing in a home’s pipes and put a lot of strain on a heating system.

Pipes are likely to freeze if they are on the exterior of the house or if they are not properly insulated, according to Smithmyer. He said that while freezing water can damage the pipe itself, it’s when pipes thaw out and water starts moving again that is really cause for concern.

Warming centers across Central Pennsylvania

“The best thing to do is shut your water off at the house where it comes in. That way, you can minimize that collateral damage that comes with the water because eventually the house will warm up and you may have a problem,” Smithmyer said.

Turning off the water to your house should not impact baseboard heating or radiators, according to Smithmyer. He said those systems do not consume the water in their boiler.

But to help prevent water in pipes from freezing, there’s a few steps you can take:

While many people may reach to turn their thermostat up as the cold winter months go on, it may only help so much.

“By design, criteria for our area, your heating equipment is going to be designed to keep your house at 72° when it’s about 5° outside,” Smithmyer said. “That means that every temp, every degree below five that it is outside, the heating equipment’s ability to maintain 72° is going to be diminished.”

Smithmyer said during the coldest of winter days, as temperatures dip below zero, homes may only heat to temperatures in the upper 60s. The best thing to do to keep your home warm is to close blinds and curtains, minimizing heat loss through windows while keeping the cold air out.

Supplemental heat can be used to help stay warm if needed, but Smithmyer said to use caution.

“You don’t want to be using any type of fuel burning device in the house because of carbon monoxide problems, and you don’t want to be using any type of propane diesel heater or anything like that. When it comes to electric heaters, you do want to make sure that they are in good, working order, that the cords are not damaged. Do not run them off an extension cord,” Smithmyer said.

It is not recommended to use a gas or electric stove as a source of heat, but if you do, be aware of the risks.

“If you use an electric oven to heat the house, you will eventually damage it. It’s not designed for long-term space heating. A gas oven, you do have to start to worry about getting enough fresh air into the building because carbon monoxide becomes an issue,” Smithmyer said.

Before the worst of the cold sets in, Smithmyer advises having your heater serviced. He also recommends having a number of a plumber or heating professional on hand to get ahold of them quickly in case pipes are damaged from freezing or your heater goes down during the winter.

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