Holiday Heating Troubleshooting Tips for Cincinnati Homeowners

The holiday season is a time to relax and enjoy those you love – but that’s pretty hard to do when your teeth are chattering from the cold! If you have problems with your heating system this holiday season, try these troubleshooting tips to get your system back up and running quickly.

If your furnace or heat pump won’t turn on…

• Check the thermostat. Make sure your thermostat is powered, set to ‘heat’, and the temperature is set a few degrees above room temperature to trigger a heating cycle.
• Check power sources. Make sure the on/off switch near your unit is set to ‘on’, and that the breakers or fuses in your electrical panel are set properly. Look to the gas valve for your gas furnace to make sure it is not been turned off.
• Replace your dirty filter with a clean one – dirty filters can cause the furnace to overheat, and it will shut down for your safety.

If your furnace or heat pump blows cold air…

• Check to see that your older furnace’s pilot light is not out – if it is, you’ll need to relight it.
• For furnaces and heat pumps, you may not feel warm air if your air filter is clogged. Replace your dirty filter to see if that change will restore heat.
• For heat pumps, ensure that the unit was not switched to ‘cooling mode’. If you have a backup heating system, switch it on to see if it produces warm air – if it does, there is a problem with your exterior heat pump unit which requires repair.
• Check your exterior unit to make sure it is not blocked by ice, snow, or other debris which could restrict airflow.

If these tasks don’t restore your heat, we urge you to call Nelson Comfort right away! Our team is on-call 24/7 to perform the emergency heating repairs you need, whether it’s on Christmas Eve or New Year’s Day!

About The Author

Dan Detmer

Dan Detmer is the owner of Nelson Comfort. Dan was born into the heating and cooling industry, coming from a family of well respected HVAC contractors in Dayton, Ohio. After working in the family business, Dan decided to work for a local HVAC wholesale business helping local contractors grow their business. When he felt his heart moving him back into the residential and light commercial business, Dan joined the Mortimer Heating & Cooling team in Cincinnati, where he had called home and become part of the community for several years. After a short period of time Dan purchased the company and created what is today, Nelson Comfort. Today he operates a company based on integrity, honesty, and stellar customer service. If you have any questions feel free to tweet (at sign) NelsonComfort and we will get right back with you!