What to Do When Your Heat or AC Quits at Night in Toronto
HVAC systems have a talent for failing at the worst time: the coldest night of January, or a Saturday evening in a heat wave. Before you call anyone, a few minutes of checking can either fix the problem or give the technician useful information.
First, the safety stuff
- If you smell gas, leave the house and call Enbridge Gas or 911 from outside.
- If a CO alarm is going off, get everyone out and call 911.
- If you smell burning plastic or see smoke from the furnace or air handler, turn the system off at the thermostat and the furnace switch.
Quick checks that solve a surprising number of calls
- Thermostat: is it set to heat (or cool), and is the setpoint above (or below) room temperature? Replace the batteries if it has them.
- Furnace switch: it looks like a light switch, usually on the wall or the side of the furnace. Easy to bump off.
- Breakers: check the furnace and the outdoor AC breaker. If one has tripped, reset it once. If it trips again, leave it off.
- Filter: a badly clogged filter can make a furnace overheat and shut down, or an AC freeze.
- Furnace door: if the blower door isn’t seated properly, a safety switch keeps the furnace off.
Write down the error code
Most furnaces and many ACs have a blinking LED or a display. Note the pattern before you reset power. Our homeowner troubleshooting guides explain the common codes, and it saves time on the call.
Keeping the house safe while you wait
In winter, close curtains, keep interior doors open so heat from the rest of the house moves around, and open cabinet doors under sinks on outside walls so pipes don’t freeze. Electric space heaters are fine short-term; keep them away from curtains and bedding. Never use a gas stove or BBQ to heat the house.
In summer, close blinds on the sunny side, run ceiling fans, and keep the basement door open; cool air settles there.
When to call
If the checks above don’t bring it back, call us. We offer 24/7 emergency service across Toronto and the GTA at 647-657-2977. You can also send a message for non-urgent service.
