Have you wondered how to prepare for a furnace emergency? As soon as the first cold breeze hits you, you have no choice but to brace yourself. You end up crossing your fingers that your vehicle will survive another frigid winter. And you hope that your legs and back are up to shoveling snow every other day. Perhaps, your biggest worry is whether your residential furnace can endure another long cold winter.
Emergency furnace repairs become complicated for several reasons. The primary cause is the hefty price tag that accompanies such repairs or replacements. Furthermore, there are significant issues that involve the loss of heat. For instance, freezing pipes, deterioration of your electronics, and danger to your life. You cannot escape problems from happening at times, but you can observe the following ways to minimize these vexing issues.
CONDUCT MAINTENANCE REGULARLY
Here is a good analogy. Do you recall your professor telling you to save often and early, but you take your chances and risk your 1,500-word paper on hamsters? We are all aware of this unfortunate fate. It is pretty much the same with your furnace when you let it defend itself from the elements during the winter.
The best measure you can take to avoid an emergency furnace repair is diligently maintaining your furnace. After all, your furnace bears the burden of keeping you and your family warm and comfy during the winter season. Is it so troublesome for you to replace the air filters regularly? Or remove the dust that accumulates on the fans and motors?
ENSURE AN ALTERNATIVE HEATING PLAN
A heating emergency is not only because of your old furnace. You can experience water damage in your utility room. Or perhaps the electrical system suddenly goes berserk and leaves you with zero heat. If this happens in the winter, it can genuinely spell big trouble for you and your family. With a heating plan, you can stay calm and collected until your HVAC contractor gets to your home.
Some of the alternative heating plans you can observe are as follow:
- ELECTRIC FIREPLACE: it is imperative to have a natural heat source to keep you and your loved ones warm in the middle of winter. But why will you stop there? An electric fireplace allows you to turn off your furnace while providing a beautiful atmosphere. However, a real fireplace is a better heating alternative if your emergency furnace repair triggers a power outage.
- KEROSENE HEAT: this is not an excellent choice for providing heat inside your home since there is a lingering smell. However, it is a perfect emergency heat source for your shed or garage.
- WOOD STOVE: it is helpful during heating emergencies but consumes a lot of space when not needed.
- BACKUP GENERATOR: without a doubt, this one is considered the most efficient alternative of all. During furnace emergencies, having a backup generator is a genuine lifesaver.
You can also consider propane and solar-powered fireplaces, but checking in your nearest inn or motel is your best option when your emergency furnace repair will take a long while.
INCREASE YOUR EMERGENCY SLUSH FUND
One of the most annoying things about your home’s furnace breakdown, aside from the absence of heat, is the outrageous cost of improving your entire HVAC system. As if seeing your icy breath leaves your wake inside the house is not disturbing enough, you now have to produce an enormous amount of money to bring back some semblance of comfort in your home once more.
An excellent life plan is to boost your emergency slush fund not only for emergency furnace repairs but also for other home emergencies, ranging from roof repairs to septic tank issues.
ACT PROMPTLY
One thing you must bear in mind once your furnace collapses is for you to act promptly. The sooner you get in touch with a furnace repair company, you’ll be able to line up for an appointment way sooner too and have the problem fixed ASAP. It is similar to your home’s heater that suddenly breaks down. If you are prompt in attending to the issue, you can establish your alternative heating plan and prevent further complications such as a frozen pipe or broken appliances.
HAVE A QUALIFIED FURNACE REPAIR COMPANY YOU HAVE CONFIDENCE IN
The last measure you can take to lighten the blow of an emergency furnace repair is to find a reputable company you can trust. Your annoyance only increases when a company or contractor provides you with the wrong date of your scheduled repair, charges you more than necessary, or does not fix your problem. Ask your family and friends for a trustworthy company and get in touch with them before the need arises.
It is unfortunate to have furnace issues at home. You need to remember that heating problems are inevitable as your unit gets older, so you need to be ready all the time. You must prepare to call out more frequent service calls and some emergency furnace repairs before the cold winter season kicks off every year. An old saying states that “failing to prepare is preparing to fail.” But when it comes to furnace problems, you should never sacrifice the importance of securing a warm home for you and your family.
