What Should I Do If I Lose Heat This Winter?

Your home heating system is on the job for two thirds of the year hear in Long Island, so it’s no surprise that from time to time you’ll have an issue with your heat—especially if you have older equipment in your residence.

But before you contact a technician for heating repairs, it’s a good idea to do a little troubleshooting to potentially save yourself the cost of a house call. In many cases, your problem may be something that you can correct yourself. 

No Heat Checklest

If you lose your heat, take these steps before you call for service:

1. Make sure you have heating oil in your tank. Check the gauge to ensure that is—or isn’t—the case. If you don’t, schedule a heating oil delivery immediately.
2. Make sure the temperature on your thermostat is set at least five degrees above the current room temperature, and the system switch is on the HEAT or AUTO position. The fan switch should be set to ON for continuous airflow or AUTO.
3. Check all power switches.
4. Check all fuses/circuit breakers.
5. Check the pilot light, if your system has one

Still Don’t Have Heat? Do These 3 Things

If you take all of the above steps and your heat still doesn’t work, contact a technician to diagnose the problem and to make it right as quickly as possible. In the meantime:

• Don’t panic, but do act quickly — Take immediate steps to retain whatever heat you have in your house: close curtains, block under-door drafts, hang blankets over doorways, etc.
• Use other heat sources, if you have them — If you have other ways to heat your space, such as fireplace, propane space heater, or electric heater, use them. Please be mindful when using supplemental devices and be sure to follow all safety precautions in regard to usage.
• Stay safe! — NEVER use outdoor equipment (barbecues, outdoor stoves, etc.) indoors. Carbon monoxide build up can be extremely dangerous or even deadly.

The best way to prevent a no-heat emergency is to get routine maintenance!

Of course, the best way to deal with an emergency is to avoid it in the first place. That’s why we recommend our comprehensive Gold Service Plan, which includes an annual tune-up, automatic heating oil delivery, heating repair discounts, and more. Contact us today to learn more.

Need reliable heating oil delivery in Nassau or Suffolk County? Trust the pros at Southville Petroleum. Contact us today to become a Southville customer!