The winter season can bring freezing conditions, especially if you live in Ohio, where we have plenty of ice and snow. Therefore, homeowners need to have HVAC systems they can rely on. However, we know you can have the best systems, and something can still go wrong. So today, your five-star experts at Lancaster Furnace & Air Conditioning wanted to make sure you are prepared in the case that your furnace stops working. There are several reasons why your furnace may not be working. To help homeowners like you pinpoint the problem, we have provided a list below of common questions and actions you can take if this happens to your heat goes out this winter.
What Is the First Thing I Should Check?
If your furnace stops working out of the blue, the first thing you should do is check all the possible things a homeowner can check on their own to find this issue, including making sure your batteries aren’t old, the pilot didn’t go out, and check the settings on your thermostat. For additional troubleshooting, you can hard reset your thermostat settings. Sometimes, it may be a click of a button right from your thermostat to fix the issue. However, suppose all those things are checked out and seem to be working. In that case, it can be something mechanical, so you will want to start preparing for the worst and schedule an appointment for one of our friendly technicians to come out.
How Can I Keep My Home Warm?
If you have a fireplace, of course, that would be the first thing you do is light it up; however, most homeowners do not have a fireplace. So if you are in a pinch, you can purchase a space heater; however, our heating specialists strongly advise against this, so use it at your own risk. Next, you can close off all unused rooms. Heat won’t dissipate into house areas that don’t need to be warmed. Finally, close all windows and secure all the doorways. You can purchase a makeshift draft stopper from Home Depot, or you can put a towel on the door; be sure that it covers any air coming from the cracks.
How Can I Prevent a Fire With my Space Heater?
Obviously, the best way to prevent a fire from a space heater is not to use one. Nevertheless, if you do decide to purchase one, you will want to make sure you buy the one that has been approved for use by a recognized safety testing laboratory. In addition, buy one with the automatic safety switch that turns off the unit if it is tipped over. Finally, never use space heaters in areas where flammable materials are used. Always clear out any papers or hazardous items from your space heater.
How Do I Avoid A Cold Draft From Coming In?
First, you can make sure all your blinds are closed, windows are sealed, and all open-air drafts are covered. Then, go to your local hardware store and buy some weather stripping. You can use this to seal all of your windows and doors. Keep in mind that there are many kinds of weather strips, so you should buy the one that you feel best fits based on the type of doors and windows you have. You can also insulate with window film that looks like the saran wrap you use for baking, and it does a great job at protecting your windows all winter.
We know how frustrating it can be if your furnace goes out in the middle of the night and you can’t get a service professional over right away. At Lancaster Furnace & Air Conditioning, we offer 24/7 customer assistance for any of your HVAC needs. In the meantime, we hope that this list will provide some ideas to use in case of an emergency. Make sure your family knows the plan so that if the outage occurs, you can start covering your items and prepping for the day. Overall, if your heat goes out this winter, it is classified as an HVAC emergency. With that being said, we encourage homeowners to give us a call at (740) 625-2320, or schedule an appointment online now by clicking here for all of your home heating needs and services.
