Are You Prepared for the Winter Challenge?
“Be prepared” is the motto of the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts of America (not to mention a song from The Lion King!). But when it comes to making sure your heating system is cold weather ready, everyone should be prepared. Especially now that we are in the middle of January and winter has begun to sink its frosty teeth into our bones. As always, the best time to prepare is before you have a crisis.
So what can you do?
Checking your heating system is easy and only takes a few minutes. The first thing to do is make sure the “emergency” switch is on. Keep in mind that your system may have either one or two emergency switches. If your switch is on, it’s time to turn up the heat – at least 10 degrees higher than the current room temperature. A working heating system will spring into action in a minute or two with a healthy hum that lets you know it’s ready to take on winter’s worst.
If it doesn’t turn on, the next thing to do might sound pretty basic, but it’s critical: make sure there is oil in your tank. If you’ve run out, please call us immediately for an emergency delivery (numbers below). However, if you have confirmed that you have heating oil and your system still doesn’t start, here are some simple steps that might get your heat back on without the need for a service call:
- Confirm that your emergency switch is on (don’t forget, you may have two)
- Verify that the circuit breaker for your system hasn’t tripped
- Make sure your thermostat is in “heat” mode
- Check the batteries in your thermostat, and finally,
- Push the “reset” button (one time only!)
If all systems are “go” but your furnace or boiler still won’t start, give us a call at (508) 653-5050, or toll-free at (800) 262-6462 … that’s what we’re here for.
Equally important, in snowy weather, please make sure to clear a safe path to your fill pipe. This will help us keep not only our drivers, but you and your family safe! If you are unable to clear a path, please let us know, so we can help you make the proper preparations.
Don’t forget, no matter what the season, contact Coan Oil for any assistance you need to keep your system purring.