Avoiding a Repair Call

Nothing is worse than a repair call that could have been easily avoided.  An unnecessary hassle for the customer can often be avoided by quickly checking for these three common problems (believe us, they are far more common than you realize!) to see if they help resolve the problem.  It only takes a second, and will make life a whole lot easier, and help narrow down where the problem lies when your furnace, boiler, or heating system is not working correctly.

First, and most common of all, is a thermostat problem.  If the thermostat is not working, there are often quick and easy solutions that do not require a repair technician.  First, for digital thermostats – check for an indicator light or symbol to see if it is working.  Not all digital thermostats have this indicator, but many do.  Consult your thermostat manual to be sure.  If you cannot find the light or indicator on your digital thermostat, then check the battery.  Many people forget that digital thermostats are usually powered by a battery, and that those batteries need to be replaced from time to time.  If this does not help, or if you have a manual thermostat, then try adjusting the heat (even by cranking it up, if only for a little bit) to test if the thermostat is working.  When you adjust it up, you should notice the heat come on.  If you don’t, then the thermostat might not be working and in need of repairs. Contact Pro Ace with your thermostat questions

The second extremely common problem is the furnace not receiving any power.  This is usually because someone has turned off the light switch that powers the furnace (or boiler) room, and the switch needs to be turned back on.  The solution is simple – go and find the switch, usually on the inside or near the outside of your furnace or boiler room, and flick it back to the “on” position.  If that does not work, or if you do not have a furnace room power switch, then you might need to check the breaker for your home.  Try flipping the switch for your furnace room off and then back on, and see if it restores power.  If it works, fantastic, but if not then there may be a problem and it is time to call a professional at Pro Ace Heating and Plumbing.

Finally, check for gas leaks.  You can usually smell a gas leak, or notice them in other ways, and it is important to take care of this immediately.  You will have to call a professional to help, but the first thing to do is to find the gas shut off valve.  This will be located near your furnace, outside it.  When the valve is parallel to the pipe, the valve is open and gas is flowing.  To shut it off, simply turn in 90 degrees to the valve is perpendicular to the pipe, thus shutting off the gas.  After, you will want to contact BC Fortis, or Pro Ace Heating right away to investigate the leak and make gas leak repairs.  Thanks to Pro Ace 24/7 gas, heating, and cooling emergency repair service, we can have a professional at your door, even in the middle of the night.

Once you have finished all of the above, then check your system again.  If it is now working, congratulations, the problem is solved.  If the furnace is still not working properly, then the problem likely requires a trained gas technician to take care of it, and can be sent out anytime to help.