Reasons Why Your Heat Isn’t Working
Is your heating system on the fritz? How do you know for sure? Either way, discovering your home isn’t warming up in the middle of winter makes for an unpleasant surprise and ultimate discomfort. Understanding the common malfunctioning issues with home heating systems helps take the edge off by knowing how to troubleshoot on your own, fix what you can, and figure out what’s best left for an expert.
Here are some common reasons why your heat won’t kick on:
Dirty Air Filters
A dirty air filter can cause all kinds of problems with your heating system. Often enough, it’s because dirt and dust build up overtime, which reduces the overall airflow throughout your system and causes it to shut down entirely.
Thermostat Problems
The thermostat is the brain of your heating system and is responsible for telling it to turn on, turn off, and control the amount of heat flowing through your home at any given time. If your thermostat isn’t set correctly, it’s probably not telling you, either. There are a few easy ways to troubleshoot this:
-
Check the settings. It’s possible that your thermostat simply isn’t set correctly. Make sure it’s turned on and set to heat mode (as opposed to “off” or “cool mode”) and that your temperature setting is lower than the actual temperature of your home.
-
Low battery/no power. If your thermostat isn’t getting power, it can’t tell your heat to turn on. Check to make sure it’s connected to a working power source and if the battery’s dead, you’ll need to recharge or replace it.
-
Check the manual. Many homes use digital thermostats these days with appropriate user manuals. If you don’t have a hard copy, check the manufacturer’s website for an online version or give them a call.
Bonus: With the MySlomins App home automation features, you can raise the temperature before you get home and adjust specific settings throughout the day, for each room. This makes your house nice and comfortable upon your arrival while also keeping your bill low due to less heat being used when you’re away.
Make Sure Your Furnace Has Power
-
Circuit breaker. Your system uses electricity to circulate warm air through your home. A blown fuse prevents this from happening. Check your circuit breaker and make sure the switch for your furnace is in the “on” position.
-
Disconnect switch. Typically mounted on the side of your furnace or nearby wall, the disconnect switch is intended mostly for technician or plumber use. Check for the switch and if its off, flipping it back ON should kick the heat back on.
Insufficient Fuel Supply
An empty oil tank means no heat. Making sure your oil supply is on a consistent delivery schedule prevents an empty tank and uncomfortable house. Slomin’s automatic oil delivery helps eliminate the worry of running dry in the middle of winter with no available delivery services from escalated demand.
Equipment Malfunction
Each heating system contains several components that must work together in order to heat your home properly. If any of these components malfunction, overheat, or break down, it creates a snowball effect within the system which leads to, you guessed it, no heat! Keep in mind, problems with your equipment are best left to professionals at Slomin’s.
Slomin’s Home Heating Oil
As the Northeast’s premier company for home heating oil services, Slomin’s works hard to ensure you stay warm all season long. Additionally, our automatic delivery and financing options help you save some money on energy bills and budget for the future. For more information about home heating or Slomin’s Home Automation, give us a call at 516-932-7000.
