If you have no heat in the house, check the thermostat, the breaker, the power switch, and the air filter, and if you have a heat pump, make sure it isn’t just running a defrost cycle. Many no-heat emergencies in Virginia Beach homes come down to one of these. If none of them fixes it, keep your family warm safely, take steps to prevent frozen water lines, and call a heating contractor.
This guide walks through each check for your heating system, how to stay warm safely, and when to call for help.
Initial Heating System Checks to Perform First
These HVAC troubleshooting steps rule out the common shutoffs that don’t involve a breakdown.
Thermostat Settings and Power Switches
Make sure the thermostat is set to Heat, not Cool, Fan, or Off, and set it several degrees above the room temperature. If the screen is blank and your thermostat uses batteries, replace them, since a dead thermostat can’t tell your furnace or heat pump to run. Then check the power switch on or near the indoor air handler. It looks like a light switch and is easy to bump off by accident.
Heat Pump Troubleshooting
In cold, damp weather, a heat pump periodically runs a defrost cycle. The outdoor unit may stop, steam, or make a whooshing sound, and the vents may blow cooler air for a few minutes. That’s normal. Also check the outdoor unit’s power disconnect, a box mounted on the wall near the unit, to make sure it’s on. If the outdoor unit is covered in thick ice that doesn’t clear, switch your thermostat to Emergency Heat to run your backup heat and call a technician.
Electrical Breakers and Service Panels
At your electrical service panel, look for a breaker handle sitting in the middle position or showing a red indicator. Push it firmly to off, then back to on, once. If it trips again, leave it off. Repeated trips point to an electrical fault that needs a professional.
Air Filters and Supply Registers
A clogged air filter cuts airflow, which can trip a safety switch that shuts the system off when it overheats. Pull the filter and check for heavy dust, pet hair, or debris. If it’s dirty, replace it before restarting the system. Then make sure furniture, rugs, and boxes aren’t blocking any supply or return registers.
Safe Ways to Stay Warm and Protect Plumbing
While your heat is out, focus on holding onto the warmth you have and protecting your pipes.
Retaining Indoor Heat
Close blinds, heavy curtains, and shutters, and block drafts under exterior doors with rolled towels or draft stoppers. Gather everyone in one central room, ideally on the sunny side of the house, and close the doors to unused bedrooms. Dress in warm layers, including wool socks and hats, since keeping body heat in is easier than reheating cold rooms.
Frozen Pipe Prevention
Indoor plumbing in crawlspaces, exterior walls, and unheated utility areas cools down fast when the heat is out. Open the cabinet doors under your kitchen and bathroom sinks so warm room air reaches the pipes. Let a thin trickle of water run from faucets on exposed lines, since moving water is less likely to freeze. If your outdoor hose bibbs have shutoff valves inside, turn them off and drain the outdoor spigots.
Winter Home Safety With Space Heaters
Set electric space heaters on a flat, hard floor at least three feet from blankets, curtains, and furniture, and plug them directly into a wall outlet, not an extension cord or power strip. Never leave one running unattended or overnight. Never heat your home with a grill, charcoal cooker, oven, or generator. They produce carbon monoxide. Make sure your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors have working batteries.
When to Call a Heating Technician
Some problems involve safety risks or mechanical failures that need a professional right away.
Gas Odors, Carbon Monoxide Warnings, and Electrical Smells
- Rotten egg or sulfur smell: This can mean a natural gas or propane leak. Don’t turn any switches on or off or light matches. Get everyone out, then call your gas utility or propane supplier and 911 from outside.
- Carbon monoxide alarm: Get everyone outside right away and call 911 from outdoors. Don’t stop to open windows.
- Burning or hot metal smell: This can mean an overheated blower motor or melted wiring insulation. Turn the system off at the thermostat and call a technician.
Persistent Mechanical Failures and Lockouts
Modern furnaces lock themselves out after several failed attempts to light. If your furnace clicks, tries to start, and then shuts down completely, a cracked igniter, a dirty flame sensor, or a blocked exhaust pipe is usually the cause. Bypassing safety controls or cycling the power over and over can damage parts. If the basic checks don’t bring the heat back, a technician can find the problem with the right test equipment.
Protecting Your Living Space During Winter Heating Outages
Start with the thermostat, breaker, power switch, and filter, and for heat pumps, the defrost cycle. These fix many sudden shutoffs. If they don’t, keep your family warm, protect your pipes, and avoid unsafe heat sources while you arrange professional service. A technician can find the cause and fix it before it turns into a bigger repair.
Contact Guy Smith Home Services for Heating Repair
Guy Smith Home Services has served Virginia Beach and nearby communities since 1968. If your heat pump or furnace won’t run, our licensed technicians can find the problem and get your heat back on with upfront pricing. Contact us to schedule furnace repair or heat pump service in Virginia Beach.