September 2026
The 15-Minute “Turn It On” Test: Preparing Your Furnace for Indiana Winters
September in the Wabash Valley is a beautiful time of year. The extreme humidity of August finally breaks, the mornings start to feel a little crisp, and you can finally open the windows.
But as a family-operated and 100% women-owned HVAC company that has served this community since 1947, we know exactly what is coming next: The First Freeze. 
Every year, thousands of local homeowners wait until the first 30-degree night in late October to switch their thermostat from “Cool” to “Heat.” And every year, hundreds of those furnaces simply refuse to turn on.
When this happens, every heating company in town gets backed up for days, leaving families shivering and paying premium weekend rates for emergency HVAC. Terre Haute winters are unpredictable, but your comfort shouldn’t be.
At Roehm Refrigeration Heating & Cooling, we don’t want you to be caught in the cold, and we definitely don’t want you to pay emergency repair fees if you can avoid it. That is why we are asking all of our neighbors to take the 15-Minute “Turn It On” Test right now, while the weather is still mild.
How to Do the 15-Minute Furnace Test
Pick a morning this September when it’s cool outside, and follow these simple steps to ensure your heating system is ready for winter:
- Check the Filter
Just like with your air conditioner, a dirty filter will suffocate your furnace and cause it to overheat and shut down. Start the season fresh by sliding in a brand-new filter. - Clear the Clutter
Over the summer, it is easy for boxes, brooms, and storage bins to pile up around your furnace in the basement or utility closet. Clear a three-foot perimeter around your unit. Furnaces need proper airflow, and keeping flammable objects away is a critical safety measure. - Turn Up the Heat
Go to your thermostat, switch the system to “Heat,” and set the temperature about three to five degrees higher than the current room temperature. - Listen, Smell, and Feel
- Listen: You should hear the system click, the fan engage, and the burner ignite. A gentle hum is normal. Banging, grinding, or loud squealing means something is mechanically wrong.
- Smell: You will likely smell a slight burning odor. Don’t panic! This is just the dust that settled on the heat exchanger burning off, and it should dissipate in about 15 to 30 minutes. (If it smells like melting plastic or rotten eggs, turn the system off immediately).
- Feel: Go to a few vents in your home and make sure the air coming out is actually warm.
Let the system run for a full 15 minutes to ensure it doesn’t short-cycle (turn off prematurely). If everything feels warm and sounds normal, you can switch it back off. You are ready for winter!
What If It Fails the Test?
If your system blows cold air, makes terrible noises, or refuses to turn on at all, you have just saved yourself a massive headache. By discovering the issue in September, you have plenty of time to schedule standard furnace repair in Terre Haute without waiting in the freezing cold for an emergency technician.
The Ultimate Peace of Mind: Join the Worry-Free Preventative Maintenance Plan
If you want to skip the DIY testing and let the professionals handle it, now is the perfect time to join the Roehm Worry-Free Preventative Maintenance Plan.
For one affordable membership, our NATE-certified technicians will come out and perform a comprehensive, 27-point fall inspection on your furnace (and we even provide and replace the filter for you!). Plus, Worry-Free members get priority VIP scheduling, zero overtime charges ever, and a 15% discount on parts and labor if a repair is needed.
Don’t wait for the first winter storm to find out your furnace is broken.
August 2026
Why Your AC is Freezing Up in the August Heat (And What to Do)
It is the middle of August in the Wabash Valley. The humidity is through the roof, your house is starting to feel uncomfortably warm, and when you go outside to check your air conditioner, you see something that makes zero sense: your AC unit is covered in ice.
A frozen air conditioner in 90-degree weather is enough to send any Terre Haute homeowner into a panic. Your first thought might be that the entire system is dead and you are about to face a massive replacement bill.
At Roehm Refrigeration Heating & Cooling, we want you to take a deep breath. As a family-operated and proudly 100% women-owned business, our goal is to give you honest answers, not a high-pressure sales pitch. Before you assume the worst, here is exactly why your AC freezes up and the steps you should take right now.
Why Does an Air Conditioner Freeze in the Summer?
Your air conditioner doesn’t actually “create” cold air; it removes heat from your home. It does this by blowing warm indoor air over freezing cold evaporator coils.
If everything is working properly, the warm air keeps the cold coils from freezing over. But if that airflow is restricted, or if the system doesn’t have enough refrigerant to absorb the heat, the temperature of those coils drops below freezing. The thick Indiana summer humidity then hits those freezing coils, turns to condensation, and instantly freezes.
Do This Before You Call Us
Some corporate HVAC companies love a frozen AC call because it’s an easy opportunity to try and sell you a brand-new system. We do things differently. We want to save you money.
Before you pick up the phone for a service call, do these three things:
- Turn the AC OFF immediately. Do not keep running a frozen air conditioner! Your compressor is the heart of your system, and trying to force it to pump through a block of ice will burn it out. Turn the thermostat from “Cool” to “Off,” and turn the fan setting from “Auto” to “On.” This will force warm air over the indoor coils and speed up the melting process.
- Check your air filter. This is the #1 cause of a frozen AC. A clogged, dirty filter suffocates your system. Without warm air flowing over the coils, they freeze solid. If your filter looks like a gray blanket of dust, throw it out and put a new one in. (This simple fix resolves a huge percentage of frozen AC calls!).
- Check your vents. Make sure furniture or rugs aren’t blocking your return vents, and ensure your supply vents are open. Closing too many vents to “save energy” actually restricts airflow and can freeze your system.
When Is It Time to Call the Professionals?
If you have changed the filter, opened the vents, let the ice completely melt, and the system still freezes up when you turn it back on, you have a mechanical issue.
You likely have a refrigerant leak or a failing blower motor. Because refrigerant systems are pressurized and involve chemical handling, this is where DIY stops and professional help is required.
If you find yourself in this situation, you need fast, reliable AC repair in Terre Haute.
Schedule Service Today
Honest Service You Can Trust
Since 1947, Roehm Refrigeration Heating & Cooling has been dedicated to fixing the problem right the first time without the corporate up-sells. If you are dealing with a stubborn, freezing air conditioner this August, give us a call. Our NATE-certified technicians will diagnose the true cause of the problem and give you a transparent, gimmick-free estimate to get your home comfortable again.