There's no denying the fact that Chicagoland winters can get frigid. Having a home heating system is a necessity to keep you and your family warm and safe during the winter. Unfortunately, malfunctions can occur with your heating system. This can cause it to fail without warning. What should you do when your heating system stops working?

What to Do When the Heat Goes Out

If your heat goes out, you want to start by checking the power in your home. If you don't have power, then it's time to take some safety steps. First, contact your power company to ensure that they know about the outage. Next, you want to have your family gather in one room and bundle up with various layers. If you have a fireplace that you can light a fire in, do so. Otherwise, having a generator that can run basic power to your home. This can help to keep things warm while you wait for the power to come back on. If it is a gas-powered generator, be sure to place the main device outside. This protects you and your family from carbon monoxide poisoning.

If other items in your home have power, then it's likely a problem with your heating system. Start by checking your thermostat. Make sure it's on the heat setting and at a warm temperature. If your thermostat is off, check your panel box to see if the cause is a tripped breaker. If so, reset it. If neither of these options work, you'll want to check the pilot light on your furnace. If it's out, turn your pilot light assembly off for a minute. Then, turn it back to pilot mode and light it. Once you get a steady flame, switch back to the on mode, and your furnace should start to produce warm air. If it doesn't, it's time to contact an HVAC professional for more help.

Things You Shouldn't Do

While cold weather may drive you to some illogical ideas, there are some things that you should avoid. Grills are a big no-no for the interior of your home. They can create a major fire hazard and will emit dangerous fumes. Try to keep your fridge and freezer shut to prevent food from going bad and letting cold air into your home. You should also avoid getting wet. This will cool your body temperature down and make you more susceptible to illness. It's best to prepare for an outage so that you can keep a logical mindset throughout the ordeal.

How to Prepare for Your Heat Going Out

Dealing without heat in the winter is not something you want to think about. Unfortunately, you must do so to ensure your family stays safe. When you prepare for this, you can make it more pleasant until you get your HVAC system is back up and running. Prepare for a power outage by having a standby generator. Always run it outside to keep your family safe from the harmful exhaust fumes.

You can prepare your family for the cold by having a stash of warm clothes and blankets ready to go. Throw in some candles and matches. This helps everyone move around your home in a safe manner until the power comes back on. You also want to put flashlights in an accessible location so that you can grab them when the power goes out.

Contact Us Today

Being stuck in a home without heat is not very safe. Our HVAC professionals can respond to your home and fix your HVAC system. If your heating goes out in the middle of the night, there's no need to worry. We offer 24/7 services to get your heat back up and running in no time. Contact us today to get the professional HVAC help that you need.