What to Do If Your Furnace Goes Out

Any Season HVAC • January 25, 2022

What to Do If Your Furnace Goes Out

Couple Wearing Winter Coat — Tinley Park, IL — Any Season Heating & Air Conditioning

A heating outage during the cold season can leave you uncomfortable and endanger your life. Luckily, you can survive for some time without heat if you know what to do. Below are some practical and helpful measures to take if your furnace is out.

Protect the Heat You Have

The first step is to conserve the heat you already have in your house. The indoor temperature will not drop sharply just because the furnace is out. The gradual temperature drop means your house might not be as comfortable as you might like it, but you can keep the temperature manageable for hours.
Below are some tips to help you conserve the heat:

Draw the window blinds after dark so that you don't lose heat to the outside environment. Open the blinds during the day to admit heat from the sun.
Close all exterior doors and windows to not lose heated air or admit cold air.
Use the ceiling fan to push warm air down since warm air naturally rises.
Close doors to unused rooms so you don't lose heat to them.

All of these measures are easy and free.

Check for Simple Causes of Furnace Outages

Myriad things can cause your heating system to go off. You can solve some of them alone, while others require a professional's input. A brief check of the furnace and your house can point you in the right direction. Below are some things to check.
Electricity
Check if your house and the furnace have power. If you don't have a power blackout, check if the furnace has tripped its electrical breaker. You should also confirm that the furnace plug is snug in its receptacle and someone has not accidentally switched it off.
Fuel
Confirm that the furnace has fuel. The confirmation will depend on your furnace's fuel type. If you have a gas furnace, check if other gas appliances in your house have gas. If the other appliances have gas, confirm that the furnace's gas valve is in its proper position.
Thermostat
The wrong thermostat setting can switch off the furnace. For example, the furnace won't produce heat if the thermostat is set to off or cool. The furnace will also be off if you set the temperature lower than the ambient temperatures.

Call for Emergency Repairs

Call an emergency HVAC contractor if your DIY checks fail to diagnose or solve the problem. Many contractors provide round-the-clock operations specifically for such situations. Call your usual contractor if you have a service contract or have one you already use.
How fast the contractor will arrive depends on the number of affected homes and the contractor's distance from your place. The contractor will inform you on when to expect them when you call.

Stay Warm

The contractor might take some time to arrive, depending on the prevailing situation. You don't have to feel cold even if the house temperature drops. Take the following measures to stay warm as you wait for the contractor:

Put on layers of clothes. The different layers will trap air between them, which will keep you warm since air is a poor conductor of heat and will retain your body heat.
Use warm blankets or several layers of beddings.
Huddle together in one room to benefit from your body heat.

Don't burn things in the house to keep warm. Apart from the risk of fire, you also risk carbon monoxide poisoning or carbon monoxide asphyxiation.
The technicians at Any Season Heating & Air Conditioning have over 25 years of experience in the HVAC industry. We also offer an emergency service that can restore your heating at any time of the day. Contact us for quotes or consultations and enjoy our first-rate services.

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