Keeping your home warm through polar vortex temps

The temperatures will be well below zero across the area Tuesday night and even those staying inside will have to take some extra care.

Colony Heating and Air Conditioning sales manager PJ Kalb said one of the biggest takeaways is, those with an older furnace need to keep in mind that it's probably not working at peak capacity. That means people need to raise the temperature higher than usual during this extreme cold snap.

Kalb suggests replacing the air filter on the furnace because it's not going to work as efficiently if it's dirty. He also said keeping cabinet doors open can help heat rise and spread across the house. Kalb said, whether the furnace is old or new, people should still set it a few degrees higher to balance out the extreme cold.

"When you set your thermostat at 70 degrees that will maintain at five below zero," said Kalb. "When we're having temperatures like this 20, 30, 40 below zero that furnace won't keep up and won't catch up."

Kalb said, depending on the house, people should set their thermostats to at least 68 degrees until this cold spell is over. He said those setting it lower at night won't be saving money, either.

"Your energy bills are probably going to go up when the temperatures are 20 or 30 below zero but it is what it is," said Kalb. "To stay

comfortable and keep the pipes from freezing and keep your family comfortable, it is what it is."

Kalb said people should also realize, with the wind blowing around, PVC pipes exiting the house could be covered by a blanket of snow, which would force the furnace to shut off.