When Your Furnace Needs Repair: Emergency Tips

It’s the dead of winter, and your furnace has just stopped working. You’re shivering, you’re cold, and you have no idea what to do! This can be a very stressful time for any homeowner. 

If you don’t take action on this problem quickly, your family could be in danger because of the frigid temperatures.

If this has happened to you before, you know how quickly things can go from bad to worse. Instead of panicking and waiting for help to arrive, some emergency tips will give you peace of mind when dealing with an out-of-order furnace.

What is an Emergency Furnace Repair?

Before we get started with any emergency tips, let’s briefly discuss the meaning of emergency furnace repair in Moore, OK. There are a lot of different parts that go into heating and cooling your home, so if one piece isn’t working correctly, the whole system may break down.

The most common reason why furnaces stop working is that they have become dirty or clogged with dust and debris from their environment. When this happens, airflow is restricted through the vents leading throughout your house. This leads to poor airflow, which creates an inefficient system and makes it more likely for something else to fail in the future.

Since you want to avoid making things worse by trying anything yourself without proper knowledge, calling a professional immediately after noticing problems will help.

How to Prepare Yourself for the Repairman’s Arrival

With that out of the way, let’s get into some emergency tips that you can use when your furnace breaks down. Here are some things you can do to help make the situation less stressful for yourself and your family:

1) Stay calm. 

This is easier said than done, but panicking will only worsen. Try not to worry about the cost of repairs or how you’re going to stay warm. The best thing you can do right now is to try and think clearly so that you know exactly what steps need to be taken when the repairman arrives.

2) Turn off your furnace. 

If the air is still running through it when a repairer arrives, they may accidentally make things even worse with their repairs. If you have gas heat instead of electricity, ensure that all pilot lights are out before turning your system completely off.

Flicking switches and trying to stop airflow by closing registers won’t help here either unless it’s done correctly – only a professional emergency furnace repair in Moore, OK should try this since people have been seriously injured doing this incorrectly.

3) Inspect the furnace. 

When you turn off your system, look at it and see if you can spot any obvious problems. This will help the repairman to diagnose the issue better when they arrive.

If possible, try to find out what is wrong with your furnace before they appear. If there are broken parts or something has melted, this will give them a head start on repairing your system.

4) Check for frozen pipes. 

If your system has been out long enough, then this is very likely to be the case by now. Frozen water in your system will cause extensive damage if it’s allowed to run through while still cold or hot.

Be sure to open any faucets near the frozen pipes so that the water has a way to escape and won’t cause too much pressure on the pipe.

What Not to Do in an Emergency

Now that we’ve gone over some things you can do to help prepare yourself for a potential emergency, let’s go over some things you should avoid doing:

• Don’t touch anything inside the furnace unless you’re sure that it’s safe. There could be electrical wires or other dangerous parts that may cause serious injury if you touch them.

• Don’t clean the furnace yourself unless you know exactly what needs to be done and how it should be handled. This is dangerous without proper knowledge, so leave this for professionals.

• Never attempt any repair work on your own unless there’s absolutely no other option available. Emergency furnace repairs in Moore, OK are complicated that need specialized tools and training to fix them properly.

What to Do If You’re Left without Heat

If your furnace is ultimately out of order or you don’t have one at all, there are still things you can do to try and stay warm:

• Bundle up!

This is obvious, but layer your clothes instead of putting on one oversized coat. Wear a hat, gloves, and boots as well. This will help trap the heat your body produces and keep you warm. This also helps keep your body safe from frostbite and hypothermia.

• Stay active!

If you stay inside all day, you’re going to get cold fast. Get up and move around as much as possible. Take a walk, do some exercises, or even dance around your living room. Moving will generate heat and keep you comfortable for longer.

• Make sure that windows are properly sealed.

Tape-up drafts with insulation or weather-stripping if necessary, but be careful about blocking any vents in the process since this could cause problems for other rooms as well. Also, be sure to keep a window cracked open slightly since you will need some ventilation.

• Prepare hot drinks.

Making tea, coffee, or other war drinks will help warm you up and keep your spirits high. Keep extra water on hand since boiling it is the best option for this, but try to avoid running any other appliances like a dishwasher or washing machine if possible – these use up a lot of energy which can strain your current system even further.

• Get a space heater.

If you have enough outlets to plug it in, this is a great way to stay warm without using your furnace. Space heaters come with their own risks, though, which is why they must be kept away from flammable materials at all times while being used.

If possible, plug them into an extension cord so you won’t overheat the outlet they’re plugged into and avoid any risk of fires starting there, either.

How Can I Prevent This from Happening in the Future?

While there’s no guarantee that you will not need any emergency furnace repair in Moore, OK ever in the future, there are some things you can do to help minimize the chances:

Get regular maintenance check-ups. 

This is one of the best ways to catch minor problems before turning them into big ones. Having a professional take a look at your system every year can help prevent emergencies from happening in the future.

Not only will proper maintenance make your furnace last longer, but it will also reduce the chances of any issues cropping up at all.

Be proactive about repairs. 

Don’t ignore minor problems! If something doesn’t seem right or is making strange noises, call a professional to take a look as soon as possible and see what they have to say about it before trouble starts brewing.

This can save you a lot of time and money in repair costs down the line – especially if you end up needing emergency furnace repair services because one problem led to another that couldn’t be fixed on your own.

Educate yourself on what to do in an emergency

Knowing exactly what needs to be done will make things much easier for everyone involved. Being able to help out and prevent others from making dangerous mistakes is an excellent way of taking care of the people around you. Be sure that other members of your household know how they can take action if necessary.

Get a carbon monoxide detector.

This is important for any home with gas appliances such as furnaces or water heaters – not just houses that use fossil fuels like natural gas or oil, either! Carbon Monoxide (CO) poisoning isn’t something anyone wants happening, so this extra precaution can save lives and keep everybody safe within the home.

Consider a complete replacement.

If you’ve been struggling with your system for several years, it may be time to consider getting a whole new furnace. Replacing an old unit can seem like a significant expense at first glance but will save you money in the long run and make sure that all parts are up-to-date and modern.

Purchasing an energy-efficient furnace is also a great way to cut back on your expenses even more since they use less fuel than older models. This will help prevent additional issues from happening and give you peace of mind when it comes time to turn the heat up.

Call Gober Heating & Air Conditioning for Premium Emergency Furnace Repair in Moore, OK! 

At Gober Heating & Air Conditioning, we understand that furnace repair emergencies can happen at any time. That’s why we offer emergency furnace repair in Moore, OK, so you’re never left out in the cold! We also have a wide range of services to choose from, so no matter what the problem is, we’ll be able to help.

Don’t wait until it’s too late – call us today for all your furnace repair needs!