This January, we have experienced record cold temperatures twice – so far – and you likely have an even deeper appreciation for your furnace when the windchill is double-digits below zero.
But what would you do if your furnace went out in the middle of a polar vortex? Obviously, the first thing to do is to call your trusted Maertin Heating and Cooling professionals, because we’re available 24/7. But in a howling winter storm with below-zero temperatures, your house could get very cold very quickly, so we have some suggestions to keep your home and your family as safe and warm as possible until we arrive.
First, you’ll want to figure out how to get as much heat into your home without your furnace. You’ll also want to preserve as much heat as you can while the furnace is down. If your furnace is out because your electricity is out, a safely-operated generator offers you the easiest way to stay warm. FEMA recommends installing a transfer switch so you can quickly and safely hook your generator up to your furnace in an emergency. As always, generators should be operated outside, at least 20 feet away from the home, with the exhaust venting away from the structure.
If the furnace itself is out of order, alternate heating sources like electric heaters and fireplaces should be considered. Ovens and stove tops should never be used as alternate heating sources because they drastically increase the risk of fire and carbon monoxide poisoning. Legitimate alternate heating sources also come with increased fire and carbon monoxide risks, so if you choose to weather the span between furnace outage and repair by way of alternate heat, take care to keep them properly ventilated and always use smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
You may find yourself with no heat source while you wait for the repair – even though we will get there as quickly as possible. In that case, you should begin maximizing what heat you have. Gather everyone in the same space in the house and trap as much heat in that space as you can. Experts recommend using a south-facing room to maximize solar heat. Check the room – and the house – for any drafts or air leaks and seal them with duct tape. While you’re bundling up your warmest room, you should also take care to bundle everyone up in blankets, sweaters and heavy socks to preserve as much of body heat as possible.
While Maertin Heating and Cooling will respond as quickly as possible, any day of the year, any hour of the day, our Midwest winters don’t take long to chill a house without a working furnace. Your first step in any furnace outage is to call us at 708-479-9350 – do not use our “Make an Appointment” button on our website, as these may not be received immediately. Your next steps should be identifying alternate sources of heat and saving as much heat as you can until we can get your furnace back up and running.