01/24/2026
Prepare and Protect Your Outdoor HVAC Unit for Winter Storms
If it’s extremely cold, don your heavy winter coat, a hat, and gloves, and go outside to your outdoor unit. There are several things you need to do before, during, and after a winter storm.
Clear vegetation and debris from around the outdoor unit. Your heat pump or air conditioning unit should always be free of obstructions that may block the flow of air. Keep the 18” around the unit clear.
Clear snow from around a heat pump and clear the top. Winter snowstorms can result in heavy snow on top of and surrounding your heat pump. This will cause it to struggle to work. Make your way outside to clear off the top with a swipe of your arm or a broom.
Use your hands (with mittens or gloves on!) to clear an inch or two down the sides of the unit on all four sides. This will give you a clear view so that you can shovel away multiple feet of snow without nicking the unit.
With deep snow, make sure the furnace intake and exhaust pipes are clear of snow. You may not have paid much attention to them, but if you have a gas furnace, you have two pipes (typically white PVC) sticking out of your house near the area of your furnace. Make sure both pipes are clear of snow and ice.
A blocked exhaust pipe can allow deadly carbon monoxide gas to build up in your home. It’s odorless and colorless and is incredibly toxic. By the time you realize there’s a problem, one or more family members may be seriously ill. This is another good reason to make sure your carbon monoxide detector is working and has fresh batteries.
Trane furnaces have a safety feature that will shut your gas furnace off if the flue is blocked. So if your furnace stops working after heavy snow, go check to make sure the flue is clear.
You may also want to consider installing a protective cover. To protect your outdoor AC unit from snow, ice, and hail you may want to get a special cover. The Trane WeatherGuard™ unit helps keep leaves and debris out of your AC unit. In addition, it helps channel away rain and snow. You’ll need to remove the cover once you want to run the AC again.
