Homeowner bundled up on couch freezing after her furnace went out.

Your Furnace Went Out—What Happens Next?

Picture this: You decide to turn on your heat, and the unthinkable happens—your furnace went out. What should you do? How do you stay warm? Start by using the troubleshooting tips below. If that doesn’t work, give the professionals at ComfortAire Heating Cooling Fireplaces a call. We offer emergency service 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to meet your home comfort needs.

Easy Troubleshooting Tips

If your furnace went out, these simple troubleshooting tips might help you get it up and running on your own. Start with the obvious: see if your system is on and plugged in. Next, check your circuit breakers to make sure they aren’t causing the problem. Then, look at your thermostat—is it on and set to heat mode?

Finally, make sure your system’s air filter isn’t the problem. If it’s clogged, the blockage could be preventing your furnace from running effectively. Replace the filter with a fresh one if necessary. Check the dimensions on the side of your current one to find the proper size.

If none of these steps work, call us for repair, and use some of the tips below to stay warm in the meantime.

How to Stay Warm When Your Furnace Goes Out

1. Turn on space heaters

If you have one or two small space heaters in your home, it’s time to bring them out. Even one can make a significant difference in the level of warmth. If you’re concerned about your pipes freezing, placing a space heater near your main water line may help prevent the issue from happening.

2. Do your laundry

Household chores might be the last thing on your mind when your furnace breaks down, but running your dryer will emit heat that can keep your home feeling a little bit warmer.

3. Get cozy

This is the time to layer up. Throw on another hoodie and pair of pants and socks to stay warm. Find extra blankets in your home and pile them on.

4. Use your fireplace

Your fireplace is not just for ambiance—it’s also a heat source. Turn it on once you notice your home temperature dropping.

5. Start cooking

Like your dryer, using home appliances like your stove or oven will also emit heat to keep your home feeling warm. While you should never use your appliances to regularly heat your home, if your furnace goes out, it might be the right time to test out that recipe you’ve been wanting to try.

ComfortAire Is Here When You Need Us

When it comes to winter warmth, trust the ComfortAire team to provide speedy, reliable service. Though a furnace breakdown is inconvenient, our Bryant® experts make the repair process easy. While most furnace repairs are minor, in the event your furnace needs replacement, we can assist with that as well.

For emergency (or standard) service, call us in Wisconsin Rapids or Stevens Point. You can also contact us online for non-urgent issues. And be sure to check out our furnace FAQs for more information about furnace repair and maintenance.