North Texas homes aren't built the same way homes further north are, and that's usually the right call for a climate that's hot for most of the year. But it means winter storms, particularly the kind that bring extended freezing temperatures and grid strain, hit differently here than they do in places built for it. A little preparation before a storm arrives makes a real difference in how your home and your heating system handle it.
Before a storm is forecasted
The best time to have your furnace or heat pump looked at is before the first real cold snap of the season, not during it. A system that's already struggling with a dirty filter, weak igniter, or low refrigerant (for heat pumps) is far more likely to fail at the exact moment you need it most.
- Replace or clean your filter
- Confirm your thermostat has working batteries or backup power if it's a smart thermostat
- Know where your furnace's power switch and breaker are located
- If you have a heat pump, know how to check and clear its outdoor unit of ice or debris
Protecting pipes and preventing frozen lines
A lot of winter storm damage in this region isn't the HVAC system itself, it's frozen and burst pipes, which can also affect condensate lines running to or from your HVAC equipment. Letting faucets drip slightly during extreme cold and keeping cabinet doors open under sinks on exterior walls helps prevent freezing in the pipes most exposed to cold.
What to do if the power goes out
Extended winter storms in this region have historically come with real risk of rolling blackouts or extended outages. If your power goes out during freezing temperatures, close off unused rooms to concentrate what heat you have, and use safe backup heat sources only, portable propane heaters and combustion sources should never be used indoors without proper ventilation, and generators should always run outdoors, well away from windows and doors, due to carbon monoxide risk.
After the storm passes
Once power and temperatures are back to normal, it's worth having your system checked if it ran for an extended period during the storm, cycled on and off due to power fluctuations, or if you noticed anything unusual during the cold snap. A quick post-storm check can catch a stressed component before it fails on a normal day, rather than during the next emergency.
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