Vent - my heat isn't working - WAAAA!

[disykat]

I have an appointment for Monday afternoon and am waiting for call backs from several other places hoping to get one earlier. I'm guessing I'm not the only one in this predicament!

We have two space heaters, but dh has them both at work. He acted like I was asking for way too much making him carry them home tonight. He better bring them home or he's dead meat!(that's his head rolling!)

Help me be thankful - the temp has risen to 30 outside, I have power, I have hot water. I will be grateful, I will be grateful, I will be grateful....

 

[C.Ann]

If you put a few big pans of water on the stove to boil it will help warm the house.. Been there, done that..

 

[bicker]

This is one of the reasons why we have a service contract on the utilities in the house, heating system, A/C, etc. Trying to get someone to come out and fix anything, around here, is impossible, unless you're effectively paying for priority. Sometimes I wonder if it is worth it.... but when you're shivering in the cold (or sweltering in the heat), the extra money seems well worth it.

I wish you the best of luck for a speedy remediation!

 

[disykat]

Thanks - I'll do the hot water! I was thinking of baking cookies, but will wait until closer to when the kids come home.

We actually DO have a service contract. They're the people that can come on Monday, everyone else says at least Wednesday!

I found one person who might do Saturday afternoon as an emergency call, but they're not scheduling past Saturday AM at this point and we have a committment we can't get out of in the AM. At least I have someone who MIGHT be able to come out tomorrow.

 

[clovergirl5]

Why don't you just go and pick up one of his heaters? Or does he need them to work? You could always go to a heated public place till he gets home.

 

[C.Ann]

Thanks - I'll do the hot water! I was thinking of baking cookies, but will wait until closer to when the kids come home.

We actually DO have a service contract. They're the people that can come on Monday, everyone else says at least Wednesday!

I found one person who might do Saturday afternoon as an emergency call, but they're not scheduling past Saturday AM at this point and we have a committment we can't get out of in the AM. At least I have someone who MIGHT be able to come out tomorrow.

Baking is good too.. I wonder if you have the ingredients around for Indian Pudding or something like that.. It's one of those things that you have to bake for hours and hours and hours.. You would be heating the house WITHOUT the dangers of opening the over door to try to use it as a heat source..

Also - any stores close by where you could get another heater or two? they have some really, really good ones now if your wiring is up to par.. From now until Monday is a looooong time!

Good luck - and stay warm!

 

[Mommy2three]

We have the heating guy over right now....my furnace quit working yesterday...went to the energy assistance place today to apply for energy assitance and told them about having no heat and they sent someone out tonight to take a look at it. Been using 3 space heaters to heat up the main floor of the house until it could get looked at and had the kids sleep in the living room since it is freezing upstairs where their rooms are!

 

[All American]

It's a short-term fix, but put some uncooked rice in a sock, tie the sock in a knot, and heat it up in the microwave for a few minutes. You'll have some relief from the cold. I hope you get an earlier appointment.

 

[OK!]

It's a short-term fix, but put some uncooked rice in a sock, tie the sock in a knot, and heat it up in the microwave for a few minutes. You'll have some relief from the cold. I hope you get an earlier appointment.

That reminds me of a guy who used to work in my office...he did this (but with uncooked beans, I think) and used it every day but the sock that he used was DIRTY. Good Lord, did that thing reek. We used to call it his beanthrax sock because it smelled like whatever was in it CLEARLY had to be life-threatening.

 

[C.Ann]

You could also sleep with a hot water bottle - but NO heating pads!! Do you happen to have electric blankets? I'm leery of them myself, but my mom always used them..

Hoping someone comes through for you tomorrow!!

 

[arminnie]

I bought a new condo in October. I had some electrical problems and now my heat doesn't work. My appointment is for next week. I had a service contract for years at my old place. I probably could have gotten a quicker appointment if I'd really pressed for it.

I have a small radiator type heater that has worked pretty well. An electric mattress pad is also great.

But when it was really too cold I just went back to the house which hasn't sold yet. The only night I was really freezing was when I forgot to close the sliding door after letting the dogs out.

 

[golfgal]

Is your furnace a gas furnace. Take the front cover off and see if there is a reset button someplace (our's is Red). Try pushing that and see if it helps. If this is the first time you have turned on your heat, also check to see if you have a summer/winter switch on the furnace and that it is turned to winter. Just some things I have picked up from various repair people over the years

 

[sissybells]

Our furnace stopped working in our last house, well the blower would blow only for a little while with no heat and then cut off. I started to read the troubleshooting part of the manual and was able to fix it myself by taking a piece of sandpaper and filing the heat sensor bulb thing. That may work for you as well. It worked like new after that. Hope this helps.

 

[All American]

That reminds me of a guy who used to work in my office...he did this (but with uncooked beans, I think) and used it every day but the sock that he used was DIRTY. Good Lord, did that thing reek. We used to call it his beanthrax sock because it smelled like whatever was in it CLEARLY had to be life-threatening.

 

[disykat]

Thanks for the suggestions! It is something about the thermostat or heat sensor because I got it working last night. It was gettting super cold so I started messing more with the thermostat out of frustration and was able to restart it. We got the house warmed up a bit before it flipped off again.

It was pretty cold again this morning when we woke up, but I've got heat coming out of it again. Between the space heaters and the furnace working sporatically we should be good over the weekend. I'm feeling very fortunate because it is so cold out! Below 20 is kind of a big deal for us.

I think what's happening is it flips off everytime it meets the temperature set on the thermostat.

 

[Wall-E1]

One word - Snuggie

 

[golfgal]

One word - Snuggie

Do you have a basement? You might want a space heater somewhat near your water pipes. It might be a good idea to keep a faucet running (not full out but more than just a drip) so your pipes don't freeze.

 

[DISNEY1975]

Maybe it's your VENT !!!!