BUCYRUS — Extreme cold temperatures are predicted to plague much of the Midwest in the coming days, and homeowners are encouraged to take proper steps to ensure the effectiveness of the heat in their residences.

The National Weather Service predicts the temperature high Wednesday to be -4 degrees with the wind chill values as low as -38 degrees.

The local area was placed on a wind chill warning until Thursday.

Scott Wintersteller, owner of Hall Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc., said local residents should take proper steps to ensure the heat and water supply in their residences remain efficient.

“We always recommend regular service and checks. I would say the homeowners’ main job and concern would need to be to keep the air filters in their heating unit clear,” Wintersteller said. “With the cold temperatures, furnaces will be running constantly, and filters need to be clean for efficiency.”

Wintersteller said most modern furnace units are maintenance friendly for homeowners to do self-checks.

He also encouraged residents to not allow programmable thermostats to alter the temperature in a residence and ensure batteries are good and usable.

“Sometimes, people will keep their house at say 70 degrees in the daytime, but have the thermostat programmed to lower itself to around 60 degrees at night,” he said. “If it’s -4 degrees in the morning, that furnace has to work even harder to try to get that temperature back up.”

For residences like mobile homes or others with exterior or exposed pipes, Wintersteller said heat tape wrap is best to keep the pipes from freezing. He also said any insulation around the exposed area, such as bales of straw, will help keep pipes from freezing.

Inside the residences, he said cabinets above pipes should be kept open to allow heat to come in contact with them and faucets may be kept on a drip or trickle to keep the water moving in the pipes.

He said the best thing a person can do is, if there is a problem, to contact a professional immediately.

“Call at the first sign of trouble,” he said. “Too many wait too long. If they notice the temperature is lower than its set at, call as soon as they notice it.”

Wintersteller said he and his staff are keeping their schedules open from service calls in the coming days, to be available for emergency calls.

Hall Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. may be contacted at 419-562-2273.