Cold snap increases calls for heating repairs: 'The furnace can't keep up'

WAUKESHA -- On cold days, there's only so much you can do to stay warm inside your home. While piling up the layers of clothes helps, what you really need is a good furnace. Those at Misurelli Sorensen Heating & Air Conditioning asked that people change the way they think when it comes to staying warm in the bitter cold.

"A lot of people's heat is working. It's set at 70, and it's like 65 in their house," said Josh Crouch, Misurelli Sorensen Heating & Air Conditioning.

It's a unique problem for people in the Midwest -- furnaces unable to keep up.

Josh Crouch

"It's just that our forced air systems and boilers are not designed in Wisconsin to keep up with -20° to -50° temperatures outside," Crouch said.

Even if your furnace is working correctly, your place is not going to be a cozy 70°.

"I usually recommend, after this is over, to probably look at windows or insulation or something like that, because that's really what the cause of a lot of this is. The heat just leaves so fast, the furnace can't keep up," Crouch said.

So just how cold is warm enough for your home?

"I'd say anywhere from 60° to 65°. Obviously you're going to want to bring out any wool socks or any extra layers that you have," Crouch said.

If the furnace is broken, crews at Misurelli Sorensen Heating & Air Conditioning are happy to make house calls.

People running their furnaces non-stop are encouraged to check exhaust ports throughout the day. Your devices, if operating correctly, can handle the non-stop stress. However, if it's not venting properly, you're risking it potentially breaking down.