Written on: January 25, 2021
The end of January and early February are expected to bring to us below average temperatures and snow storms. That’s because weather forecasters say the polar vortex—an Arctic cold air mass–is headed in our direction. The last thing you need during this time is to lose your heat.
Here are five common reasons why you may lose your heat—and ways to solve the problem.
If your heat stops working, these are among the first things you should check.
There is a power switch located on the side of the heating system or on a wall nearby. In addition, farther away, often at the top of the basement stairs, there is an emergency switch with a red cover plate that is labeled. People will sometimes turn this switch off by mistake, thinking it is the power switch for a light.
Simply turn the electrical switches back to the “on” position and your problem may be solved.
If that’s not the problem, going to the circuit breaker box and flipping the proper switch may be all you need to get your system running again. But, please keep this in mind: a circuit breaker rarely ever trips for no reason. If this happens once and never happens again, consider it a fluke. But if this happens more than once, you should contact a professional for service, as this could be a sign of a serious problem.
Many instances of heating systems not working can be traced to the thermostat, which sends a signal to your boiler or furnace to generate heat. But these signals may get erratic if the wiring is deteriorating. A build-up of dust inside your thermostat is another common culprit. You may also need to change the batteries in your thermostat.
If you have a warm-air furnace, change or clean the filter on a regular basis during the heating season. Dust and dirt are the natural enemies of your furnace; a dirty filter compromises efficiency and can even cause your furnace to overheat and then shut down.
Boiler systems, also known as hydronic systems, heat water for circulation around your home. Heat is radiated through either radiators or baseboard convectors. Boiler systems are more complex than warm-air furnaces because there are more parts, valves and controls.
When problems do occur, they are usually related to the expansion tank or water circulation pumps. Fixing these types of problems should be left to a professional. One thing you can do is to make sure your boiler has the proper water level. If the water level is too low, your boiler may shut down.
This is more common than you would expect. With everything that’s going on in the world, it’s easy to forget about checking your oil tank level.
We recommend you get more fuel when you reach ¼ full to avoid a run-out. Think of it this way: When you’re on a quarter, order! Note: You may qualify for automatic delivery and a tank monitor to eliminate the risk of a run-out. Please contact us online or call 877-692-4230 to learn more.