A homeowner’s worst nightmare is having their heating system go out on a cold winter’s night. While you likely don’t want to think about this happening, it’s a good idea to understand how to plan for it if it does. We’re going to share some helpful guidelines for you below so that you understand how to address this problem if you end up facing it in the future.
See If It’s a Power Issue
When you first notice that your heat goes out, you want to take note of any other electrical components in your house that aren’t working. If you come to the conclusion that your power has gone out, go ahead and directly contact your power company. If you have a fireplace, now is a good time to start a fire to keep your family warm until the power is turned back on.
Check Your Thermostat Settings
Since your thermostat controls your entire heating system, it’s best to start there. Take a look at what the settings are to make sure that someone didn’t actually switch it from the heat to the cool setting. Additionally, you want to take a look at the set temperature and the temperature reading for your room.
If it’s within five degrees, that may be the reason that your heat is no longer working. Turn the thermostat up so that there’s at least a 10-degree difference from the ambient temperature to your desired temperature. If your furnace still doesn’t kick on, it’s likely going to need professional repair service.
Check Your Fuel Level
If you’ve noticed that your furnace is no longer producing heat, it’s time to head downstairs. The first place that you’re going to want to look at is your fuel tank. If your fuel tank is on the empty mark, it’s likely that you ran out of fuel, so you’re going to have to get more delivered. If your fuel tank isn’t empty, it’s time to move on to your furnace.
Check Your Pilot Light
It’s not uncommon for a breeze to blow out the pilot light on your furnace. In fact, this is one of the most common reasons that a heater goes out. You’ll want to remove the access panel for your furnace that blocks in the pilot light. If the light is no longer lit, it’s best to try and relight it and see if it will fix the problem.
To relight your pilot light, you want to first start by turning the knob into the off position and waiting a couple of minutes. This will allow any of the excess fuel fumes to dissipate. Next, turn the knob to the pilot position, and then go ahead and use a long matchstick or lighter to light the burner.
At the same time, you want to hold down the reset button next to the knob. You want to keep the reset button held down until a solid light is burning on the pilot burner. If the pilot light continues to have a solid flame for a few minutes, then it’s likely that will solve your entire heating problem.
Check the Circuit Breaker
It’s necessary to make sure that your furnace has power going to it before you try to assess the problem. Take a moment and head over to your electrical panel box and locate the circuit breaker for your heater. Make sure that it’s in the on position and hasn’t been tripped. If it has been tripped, simply turn the breaker to the off position, and then turn it back on.
Check the Power Switch on Your Furnace
Most newer furnaces come with an actual power switch that sits on the furnace. If someone in your family was down working around the heating system, it might be likely that they accidentally hit the switch to the off position. Take a second and locate the power switch on your furnace and see if it’s in the on or off position. If it’s in the off position, simply flip it back over to the on position, and that should turn your heating system back on.
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