As we venture deeper into the 2020 holiday season, the weather is seemingly getting cooler by the minute. With most people being stuck and home anyhow, the cooler weather isn’t necessarily as impactful for most people. That is, unless your heater goes out mid-season! In today’s blog at Gundlach’s Services in Bakersfield, we provide you with a few places you can start should your HVAC system stop pumping out heat this winter. Hopefully, whatever problems you are having with your home’s heating is quickly and easily resolved by checking one of the items below. However, if you are in need of professional HVAC services, contact us at Gundlach’s today.

Check the Pilot Light

One of the most common reasons for the heat in your home to stop working is the pilot light for your furnace going out. The pilot going out from time to time isn’t anything to worry about. But, if your pilot light is consistently going out, it may be time to contact HVAC services for furnace repair or replacement.

So what should you do if your pilot light is out? Simple — relight it! Every furnace is different, but your specific model should have instructions on how to properly relight your pilot light on. With many more modern models, it’s as easy as pushing a button. If you are having trouble relighting it or are not comfortable doing so, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at Gundlach’s in Bakersfield. Our HVAC services are happy to help you no matter how big or small the issue.

Check the Thermostat

Now checking the thermostat may seem super obvious, but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth double-checking. Occasionally, our HVAC services encounter embarrassed homeowners that contacted us for furnace repair only to find out that they didn’t have their system turned on from the thermostat.

Before you contact HVAC services, make sure you have your HVAC system set to “heat” and have it set to a temperature that you find comfortable (typically about 70 degrees or so). We also recommend checking the programming schedule. It may accidentally be programmed to heat during a set time for a set duration. If everything seems normal with your thermostat but your heating still isn’t working properly, give us a call at Gundlach’s Service in Bakersfield.

Check the Breakers

It’s probably not the first thing you would think to check if your heat goes out, but it’s fairly common that a simple flip of a breaker switch is all that’s needed to restore your home to a comfortable winter oasis. It’s normal for breaker switches to get tripped from time to time. If the heating in your home isn’t working as expected, locate your breaker box and see if the switch for your furnace is in the appropriate “on” position. Should you find that the switch is off, all you have to do is turn it back on and your heat should be up and running again!

Check the Gas Valve

Most homes use a gas furnace for their heating needs. Furnaces that use gas to run have a gas shut off valve near it that you can close in case of emergency or if HVAC services are being performed. While this valve won’t shut on its own, it’s possible that someone in your home could have shut it off by mistake or accident. When you’re going through this checklist, locate your gas line valve and ensure it is in the “on” position. It could just save you some money and a call to HVAC services.

Check the Air Filter

One of the more common reasons that furnaces shut down and cause your home’s heating system to fail is a dirty air filter. You should never let your air filter get so dirty that it clogs your system, but if you haven’t changed your furnace’s air filter in quite some time, it’s worth checking to see if that’s your problem. This issue can be fixed simply by replacing the air filter so long as the clogged filter hasn’t created any other issues within your HVAC system. Depending on the filters you purchase, they should be replaced monthly or every three months.

Contact the Power Company

In the situation that power to your whole home is out, there isn’t really much that can be done — even if you get HVAC services involved. Without power, your HVAC system can’t run. The best and likely only thing that you can do in this situation is to give the power company a call to see what is going on and when you can expect power again. When they say the power is going to be out for a while, there are a few things you can do to keep warm in the meantime.

• Bundle up with blankets and winter clothing
• Use any fireplaces in your home
• Insulate your home as best as you can by shutting all doors and windows
• Drink some hot beverages like tea, coffee, or hot chocolate
• Do some baking, the heat from the oven baking goods can help
• Gather the household in the same room

Call Gundlach’s in Bakersfield

We hope that today’s blog helps a few of you perform quick and simple fixes on your own HVAC systems! More times than not, the issue is a simple one. But, in cases where problems with your heating system and furnace aren’t so simple, you can count on our HVAC services at Gundlach’s in Bakersfield. Contact us today to learn more and to schedule your HVAC services.