Have you lost heat in your Clark County home this winter?
At Springfield Heating & Cooling, we aim to help as many of our fellow community members as possible by leveraging the most superior furnace systems and services in the market with fair and competitive pricing.
We have been in the furnace and air conditioning industry for a long time, and we are well aware of how easily an unexpected winter storm can knock out a customer’s power leaving them without heat in the freezing cold.
Whenever this happens, we suggest taking the following steps to stay safe and warm while things are being restored back to normal.
Steps We Suggest Taking When the Heat Goes Out
Things To Do:
- If a winter storm has knocked out your power, the first thing you should do is call your power company to report the outage, even if a neighbor or someone has already called. A lot of power companies respond to the areas where they receive the most calls first. You’ve probably heard the old saying “the squeaky wheel gets the grease.” This does not imply, however, you should call multiple times.
- If you’re prepared for these situations and own a generator, you’re in luck. Now’s the time to use it, just be sure to use it safely to power the most essential items, such as space heaters. Remember, as far as generators go, it isn’t advisable to run it inside or near any open windows where the exhaust fumes are able to get inside.
- When using space heaters, do so safely exercising caution. They need to be firmly planted on level flooring with a safe distance around them, keeping away anything that might be flammable like cardboard,chemicals, fuel, papers, boxes and drapes. Also, make sure to turn them off when you’re not around.
- If you have kids in the home, make sure they understand that space heaters can be dangerous and shouldn’t be played around.
- Wear as much extra clothing as necessary. Experts recommend using layers, and layering up and down as needed, wearing thermals, gloves, hats, scarves and extra socks.
- If you have a working gas heater, gas stove, wood-burning stove or fireplace, you might want to consider using it. Just make sure the flue is open and the chimney is clear of excess creosote before lighting a fire. Some experts recommend only using fire when you are able to be there to keep an eye on it.
- If you’ve lost heat and it’s unrelated to a power outage, give us a call as soon as possible. We are always more than happy to come out to get you back into comfort right away.
Things You Don’t Do
- When some homeowners lose heat during the cold months of winter, they can become tempting to try to improvise in a way that might put safety on the line. In times like these, we urge homeowners to keep safety first and never use something for heat if it wasn’t intended to be used like that. This includes never using household appliances such as grills or ovens for heat. Not only is it hard on the appliance, it’s a fire hazard and it can release dangerous gases and fumes into the home.
- While your power is out, avoid opening freezers and refrigerators as much as possible. This will help keep the last bit of cold air inside inside it, instead letting it out into your home, and it should also help you prevent foods from spoiling as long as possible.
- Avoid getting wet as much as possible, when your power is out and you’re without heat. If you get wet and it’s cold in your home, it will take longer to get warm. Plus who knows how long you’re going to have to go until you are able to use your washer and dryer.
Call us right away if your heat is out and you have power!
If you’ve lost heat or your furnace isn’t keeping up with the cold and you still have power — or if you are looking for a trusted, local professional furnace technician to look at your heating equipment when the power is restored — call Springfield Heating & Cooling today at 937-350-1881, or schedule an appointment now by clicking here!
