Heater Won’t Start? Troubleshooting Tips Before Calling

furnace repairs massachusetts It’s not officially winter yet here in New England, but we’ve certainly gotten a preview of what’s to come in the last few weeks.

Soon enough, we’ll be getting those days when the temperature drops 30-degree in a few hours – and when we do, you may find that your furnace or boiler isn’t up to the challenge (especially if you haven’t scheduled your annual heating service yet).

If your heating system takes an unexpected vacation when the going gets tough this winter, don’t worry – our heating repair experts are only a phone call away, able to handle just about any kind of heating system repair you can throw at them.

But before you pick up that phone and pay for an emergency service call, it pays to invest some time making sure the problem isn’t something you can fix yourself.

6 Things To Check When Your Heat Doesn’t Work

If your furnace or boiler won’t start, please try these steps before you call for service:

Check to see if you have enough heating oil or propane.
Make sure all power switches associated with your heating equipment are in the “on” or “start” position.
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 (which runs the fan only when hot air is being produced).
Check the pilot light, if your equipment has one.
If you have a forced (or warm) air system (a furnace with ductwork), check the air filter if airflow from your vent seems low; also make sure that vents are not blocked.
If you have an oil-fired system, reset the red burner switch – (but only do it once, or you may flood your system with oil).

If you take all of the above and your heat still won’t start, contact us and we will send a technician to fix the problem and get your heating system back up and running ASAP.

For fast heating repairs done right the first time, trust the pros at W.H. Riley & Son. Contact us today for expert heating service in northern Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts.