If your heating system breaks down in the middle of winter, you'll be faced with uncomfortably chilly temperatures in your home. Fortunately, these four steps will help you resolve the problem quickly:
1. Take care of your safety first.
If you own a gas heater, your first concern should be your family's safety. If you smell a sulfurous odor, you should air out your home and vacate the premises until you can have a heating expert come take a look at your heater. This may indicate a gas leak, which is a combustion hazard. In addition, a gas leak can cause carbon monoxide poisoning, which can be fatal. If you don't smell gas but your pilot light is off, you don't have to evacuate, but you should turn off the gas line that feeds your heater to prevent any gas seepage.
2. See if you can solve the problem.
Sometimes your heater's problem is easy to resolve. If you have an electric furnace that has turned off and won't turn back on, the ignition control model may be to blame. You might be able to fix it by turning off the power to your furnace using your breaker box. When you turn it back on, the electric ignition control model will restart. If you can't access the breaker box, turning your thermostat all the way down then turning it up again can accomplish the same thing. You should also check your filter. A dirty air filter that hasn't been changed recently can cut off the air to your heater, causing it to run inefficiently or not at all. Changing the filter may resolve the issue.
3. Call a heating repair service.
If you try these simple remedies and your heater still will not work, you should call a heating repair service. A heating expert will come to your house and examine your heater. They will be able to identify the source of the problem, wherever it lies. If they can't find a problem within your furnace itself, the issue may be electrical. Many heating repair services can handle electrical concerns as well, so you probably won't need to call an electrician.
4. Bundle up until help arrives.
Until the heating repair service can come to assist you, do your best to keep warm. Layer your clothing and don't be afraid to wear your outerwear in the house. Hats, scarves, and thick wool socks can keep you warm and toasty until your heating issues can be addressed.
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