First and foremost, stay calm. You can cause more harm than good to your home and those in it if trying to do things in a frenzy. Yes, if the heat went out in the house it can be dangerous, especially during extra cold winters. However, knowing what to do when your heat goes out is important for protecting your health, home, and sanity. We want you to be prepared, not scared, so today we’re going to go over what you should do if your heat goes out. You could in theory call this a quick cold weather survival guide.
Start With the Basics
Before going into panic mode, it’s important to rule out simple errors or mishaps as to why your heating stopped. Start by taking a look at your thermostat. Is the display displaying correctly? Is the appropriate setting selected? Are the batteries good? All things to consider, because if proper power isn’t being received, it could be messing with the operational factor of the system. Or if some family member accidentally switched a program and your thermostat is no longer set to heat, bingo there’s your answer. Plus, batteries, believe it or not, can also cause malfunction and problems, so be sure they’re not dead or leaking.
Your next point of contact should be your circuit breaker. Regardless of the main source of fuel, most systems still rely on electricity to operate. So check for power outages in your area. Flipping a light switch may not be enough, it’s important to have a look at your breaker panel.
If you find a tripped breaker, reset it. If the breaker trips again shortly after, do not reset it again. This is a sign that there’s an electrical problem and you should call for professional help.
Last but not least, have a look at the heating system itself. Check for a reset switch on your furnace or boiler. Press it once, wait, and see if your system kicks back on.
Take Precaution While You Wait
If you’ve checked the basics and still can’t figure out what’s wrong, it’s best to not guess and reach out to the professionals. While you wait for the help to arrive, here are a few tips on what you should do.
- If you have a gas furnace, it’s important to turn off your gas. It’s possible that your heater failed because of a gas leak or malfunction, and you don’t want toxic gas leaking into your home. Remember, having no heat is survivable, carbon monoxide poisoning on the other hand is not.
- While you wait for a heating fix, it’s important to seal off the heat you currently have. This means seal off drafts around doors and windows with things like towels and blankets. Close the doors to unused rooms, and close your blinds at night to further insulate.
- It’s also important to note that freezing temperatures can affect other parts of your home’s ecosystem, for example your pipes. To keep your pipes from freezing, open the under sink cabinet doors and let your faucets drip ever so slightly.
- This is also the time to put on extra layers, gather everyone in one room to conserve body heat, and use blankets, sleeping bags, and hand warmers if needed. We wouldd also advise eating warming foods such as soups during this time.
- You can also consider an alternative emergency heat source. Of course use caution and follow manufacturer’s instructions. Some options can include portable electric heaters, fireplaces, heating pads, or even hot water bottles.
Final Thoughts on No Heat in NY and NJ
It’s important to be prepared, not scared. We’ve previously written an article on how you can winterize your home, and would recommend you give it a read. In addition, you should consider investing in something like a portable generator, for all the unpredictable life situations that can occur. And as always, you should keep your system clean and well maintained. Believe it or not, this can prevent a slew of problems from happening. By following the above steps you can keep your home, and those in it, safe and comfortable. As always, if you aren’t sure what’s causing the problem, it’s best to not guess, and reach out to the professionals. Our team at Green Ductors is always happy to help if we’re able, so don’t hesitate and give us a call at 888-334-1612
