It never seems to happen when the weather is going to be nice for a few days. The meteorologist mentions record lows or a polar vortex, and suddenly the furnace decides it looks like a great time to take a vacation.
And usually, it happens in the middle of the night.
So, first things first. Don’t panic. After your furnace stops working, you have a few hours before the house becomes too cold.
How Long Can You Go Without a Furnace?
Within 24 hours, your house may cool down enough to be a threat to your water pipes. The rate at that your house loses heat will depend on many factors, including everything from how well it is insulated to the temperature difference between inside and outside.
In very frigid outdoor temperatures, if it is especially windy or if you have poor insulation, your house could lose enough heat in a day that you need to worry about your pipes freezing. This is especially true for any pipes that might run through exterior walls. Whenever the indoor temperature drops below 55 degrees, and it is freezing outside, your pipes are at risk. If pipes run through uninsulated crawl spaces, attics, etc., it’s even more likely.
But before that happens, chances are you and your family will become uncomfortable.
What to Do When Your Furnace Goes Out
- Check Your Thermostat
The first thing to do is to check your thermostat. Many of the most common furnace problems are not actually the furnace, but the thermostat. Depending on your furnace and how it is connected to the thermostat, it could be something as simple as needing to replace the batteries. - Check The for Dirty Intake Filters
If it’s not the thermostat, there are a bunch of other common problems. It could be a dirty flame sensor or dirty air intake filters. If your air filters are clogged, the furnace can’t breathe. A furnace requires adequate air flow to keep the flame lit. - Monitor Your Fuel Tank
You could be out of fuel. Make sure you check your tank to see how much heating oil you have. Remember, the tank doesn’t need to be completely empty to cause flow problems and make your furnace shut down. Repeatedly letting your tank get too low can also cause problems if sludge from the bottom of the tank clogs the fuel line.
When you have tried the checklist of do-it-yourself fixes, or if you aren’t comfortable checking those things yourself, it may be time to call a professional. Some signs that you definitely need to call our sister company, Express C.O.D Home Services are pretty obvious, such as if the flame has gone out.
If your heater keeps going on and off, if it runs constantly, or is only blowing cold air, it’s time to call an HVAC specialist. With more than 65 years of experience on Long Island, Tragar Home Services is your best option for quality emergency repairs.
But what if you just let the tank get too low?
We understand. It can be easy to forget to have your home heating oil tank filled when you need it.
Express C.O.D Offers Same-day, COD Heating Oil Delivery
If your furnace stops running because the tank is empty, it’s time to contact Express C.O.D. We offer low prices for heating oil when you need it, and you can even check the prices before you call us.
Don’t let an empty oil tank lead to more problems, like frozen pipes. Call us today at (516) 206-3805.