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DIY guideNo heat

No heat in the cold: four checks, then keep the pipes safe

Check the thermostat, the furnace switch, the breaker and the filter, then keep the pipes from freezing until a pro comes.

  • 10 to 20 min
  • 6 steps
  • Every step animated
No heat in the cold: four checks, then keep the pipes safe: the animation’s first picture

6 steps

Tap a step to watch it again.

  1. Make sure it's set to Heat, a few degrees above the room. Screen blank? Put in fresh batteries.

  2. Find the switch on or near the furnace, like a light switch, and make sure it's on. Its front door should be shut tight.

    Smell gas? Leave the house and call the gas utility from outside.

  3. Open the panel's small door. If the furnace's breaker has tripped, push it to Off, then On, once.

    If it trips again, leave it off.

  4. A clogged filter can shut the heat off. Slide it out, and if it's gray and caked, put in a new one.

  5. Still no heat? Let the faucets drip, and open the cabinet doors under sinks on outside walls.

    Never heat the house with the stove, the oven or a grill. Keep space heaters clear of anything that can burn.

  6. Ask Handyman for a heating pro. If a pipe freezes or bursts, turn off the main water first.

What you need

  • Fresh batteries for the thermostat
  • A new furnace filter
  • A flashlight

Call a pro if

  • The heat is still off after all four checks
  • You smell gas: leave the house and call the gas utility from outside
  • A pipe has frozen or burst: turn off the main water and call a plumber

Handyman says: Still no heat? I'll find a heating pro.

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