You may be tough enough to stick it out in Minnesota for the winter, but can your heating system?
Every year, furnaces and boilers break down without warning – usually during an extended cold spell. In addition to being a major wrench in your day, a heating system failure can lead to serious and costly problems, including frozen, burst pipes.
Learn what you should do if your heating system breaks down and, better yet, how to help prevent furnace and boiler breakdowns in the first place.
What should I do if my furnace or boiler breaks down?
Your house is freezing cold. Before you do anything else – even grabbing a coat – there’s one thing you need to do first:
Check to see if you can smell gas.
A gas leak smells like a bad egg, or some say it smells like hair that has just been permed. If you smell anything like that, gather your family members and evacuate the house immediately. Call 911 and your gas company from a safe distance away. Don’t re-enter the house until you’ve been given the all-clear.
It’s rare, but heating system breakdowns occasionally involve gas leaks. These are nothing to mess around with.
If no one in your home detects gas…
Bundle up (because it’s hard to get anything done when you or your family members are cold) and run through a few basic checks:
- Is your thermostat on and working?
- Are your vents open?
- Are your breakers flipped properly?
- Is your pilot light on?*
If you’re intimidated by checking any of those things, don’t worry. Heating repair and inspection professionals have seen it all and can do a thorough check of your system if you don’t feel confident doing it yourself.
If you’ve run through the basic checks and still can’t identify the problem…
…it’s a fair bet that your heating system is on the fritz.
Unless you happen to be a highly-trained furnace and boiler repair technician, it’s a good idea to call in a professional if you’ve determined your system has failed. Heating system repair is not the time for DIY.
It’s also not the time to wait around. You already know how cold Minnesota winters can get, and deeply cold temperatures can damage more than your fingers and toes. Frozen pipes can happen quickly and burst pipes can cause costly damage to your home. Very cold temperatures are also hard on appliances, wood finishes, and furnishings.
How do I find the best furnace repair near me?
A highly-trained professional can diagnose your furnace or boiler problem, differentiating between a minor repair and a total breakdown requiring replacement. Bonfe can typically provide same-day appointments – especially if you’re having a “no heat” emergency. Our technicians carry essential supplies on their trucks so they can make most repairs on the spot and get you warm in no time. If it looks like you’ll be without heat for more than a few hours, we have an ample supply of space heaters we can deliver to your home to help keep you comfortable.
When you choose Bonfe, you choose a company with excellent reviews that won’t charge extra for evening or weekend visits. Bonfe also offers great warranties on recommended repairs and installations and isn’t going to subcontract out the work to a third party if you need a repair or an entirely new furnace or boiler.
Don’t forget about maintenance
Bonfe is here when things go wrong, but we’re also here to help keep things going right. Heating systems and air conditioners both require regular maintenance to maintain efficiency, function, and longevity. Just a slight decrease in furnace or boiler efficiency can add up on your energy bills. It’s strongly recommended that you have both your heating system and cooling system checked twice per year. A simple tune-up appointment can save a whole lot of headaches, costs, and discomfort down the road.
When is the last time you had your furnace or boiler tuned up? It’s not too late. Schedule a tune up or repair from Bonfe today.
*some furnaces do not have pilot lights
