Tips to Turn Your Heat Back On: Unexpected Heat Loss

Losing heat on a cold night is an unfortunate event that no one wants to experience, especially living in the Northeast during some of the chilliest times of the year. If you lose heat unexpectedly, don’t panic right away! Many times, there are things you can do as the homeowner to get your heat running again without having to call in your local HVAC company for emergency service. However, if you are unsure about anything, it’s always best to leave it to the experts. Keep reading for a list of steps to take if you unexpectedly lose heat.

Steps to Get Your Heat Running Again

• Ensure that your thermostat settings are correct, and the batteries are fresh:

  Make sure your thermostat has batteries and has the function set to “auto” or “heat.” The thermostat will also need to be set above the current temperature of the home.

• Check that you haven’t tripped a breaker and that all emergency switches are on:

  Sometimes, electrical issues occur, and breakers trip for safety reasons. Ensure that your furnace’s or boiler’s breaker is on. The red emergency switches should also be on, and you can find these at the top of your basement stairs and on the heating unit itself.

• Verify that you have fuel by checking your tank gauge:

  Your oil tank has a small round sight glass that houses the tank gauge. Ensure that you have at least 1/3 of a tank. If not, call your local NH oil provider.

• Press your heating system’s red reset button one time only—more can be dangerous:

  Whether it’s a furnace or boiler, you’ll see a reset button on the side of your home heating system. Press it once only to see if your furnace or boiler can be reset. If you press it once, and it doesn’t work, be sure to give your local HVAC expert a call, so they can assist you.

Hopefully, these steps help you get your heat up and running again. If you are having a no-heat emergency and cannot get your heat back on, call your local HVAC provider for emergency service. The best things you can do to prevent no-heat emergencies are to regularly manage your fuel gauge and tank level, schedule annual service to keep your system safe and efficient, repair small issues before they turn into major malfunctions, and sign up for a full-coverage service plan in case you ever need to call for emergency service.