By Kyle Smith's crew at Capital City Heating & Cooling, Topeka, KS. 6 minute read.
No heat or no AC in your Topeka home calls for an immediate safety check. If you smell gas or hear a carbon monoxide alarm, leave and call 911 or the gas company from outside. Carbon monoxide is a poisonous gas you cannot see or smell. A burning smell, sparks or signs of electrical trouble also mean you should leave and call 911 from outside.
If there is no immediate hazard, begin with the thermostat settings. Move to a heated or cooled place if the temperature inside becomes unsafe. You can arrange service once everyone is somewhere safe.
What should I check when I have no heat or no AC?
Check the thermostat mode and temperature setting, then look for an accessible dirty filter. Set the temperature above the current room temperature for heat and below it for cooling. The fan setting alone only circulates air. Setting the fan to auto lets the system control when it runs.
Read the display for a low battery message or an error message. Write down the exact message for the technician. Follow the thermostat manual for battery replacement if its battery compartment is accessible. Leave wiring and equipment panels alone.
After changing a setting, allow the equipment's normal restart delay. About three to five minutes is common, but follow the manual for your system. Repeatedly changing the temperature or switching modes can restart that delay. A large change in the thermostat setting does not make the equipment repair itself or restore lost heating or cooling capacity.
Breaker checks
Only consider a breaker reset if you can safely identify a tripped breaker and there are no signs of electrical trouble. Keep your hands and the surrounding area dry. A breaker is a safety switch that interrupts power when the circuit has a problem.
For a clearly tripped breaker, move its handle fully off, then on once. Use only accessible breaker handles. Do not remove a protective cover or reach into wiring. If the handle is inaccessible, the label is unclear or you are unsure, leave it for a technician.
Leave any breaker already switched off alone because someone may have intentionally isolated the equipment. Do not operate the outdoor disconnect, the separate power shutoff near the AC unit. If the breaker trips again, leave it off and call for help. Leave the system off and call a technician if the furnace still fails to start after this single breaker reset.
Filter and airflow checks
Turn the system off at the thermostat before checking an accessible filter. Only check it if you can reach it without opening an equipment panel. A clogged filter restricts the air moving through the system. Follow the equipment manual for filter type, size and replacement, and keep the system off if you cannot install the correct filter.
Keep furniture and rugs clear of the supply vents that deliver air and the return grilles that draw air back. Note whether airflow is weak throughout the home or only in one room. That difference helps a technician decide where to investigate.
With the AC off, clear loose leaves or grass around the outdoor unit without reaching through its grille or removing anything from the cabinet. If you see ice on exposed cooling components, leave the cooling off. Do not chip the ice or try to repair the refrigerant piping. Refrigerant is the substance that carries heat through the cooling system.
Why is the system silent or blowing room temperature air?
A silent system can have a power outage, a control problem or a safety shutdown. Check whether other parts of the home have lost power without touching equipment. Report an area outage to your utility. A blank thermostat or an unlit indicator does not identify a wiring fault by itself.
A furnace blower, the fan that moves air through the ducts, normally starts after the burners light. It may keep running after the burners stop to move remaining heat into the home. That short period of cooler airflow can be normal. Continuous room temperature air during a call for heat needs further diagnosis.
For cooling, note whether you hear the indoor fan and whether the outdoor unit appears to run. Make observations from outside the equipment cabinets. A technician must confirm the cause before replacing a part. Sounds, airflow and visible ice are useful clues, but none proves which part has failed.
How do I stay warm safely without heat?
Wear layers, use blankets and move to a heated place if you cannot stay warm. Check on children, older adults and anyone who needs help leaving. Bring pets with you when relocating. Do not wait for a repair appointment while the home continues to become dangerously cold.
If you use an electric space heater, follow its manual and keep it at least three feet from curtains, bedding and furniture. Place it on a stable surface and plug it directly into a suitable wall outlet. Keep it supervised, and turn it off before sleeping or leaving the room.
Never use a grill, charcoal or an oven to heat the home. Never run a generator or car indoors or in an attached garage, even with the door open. These can expose occupants to carbon monoxide. If an alarm sounds, leave immediately and call 911 or the gas company from outside.
How do I stay cool safely without AC?
Move to a cooler place when the home is getting too hot. Heat can harm anyone, and some people need help recognizing the danger or arranging transport. Close blinds on sunlit windows while arranging somewhere cool to stay. Check on household members and pets.
Fans move air but do not make an overheated person safe. Follow the CDC's advice to seek an air conditioned place during dangerous heat. Call 911 for confusion, fainting or vomiting during heat exposure. Move the person somewhere cooler while waiting for emergency help and follow the operator's instructions.
What should I tell Capital City when I call?
Tell us you have no heat or no AC, give your Topeka address and describe what you observed. Include the thermostat setting, any display message and whether you have already reset a breaker. Mention ice or water you can see without opening equipment. Avoid restarting the system to reproduce a problem.
Call Capital City Heating & Cooling at (785) 221 9760 or book online. We are open Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM. When you call during office hours with no heat or no AC, in most cases we can get to you the same day. You receive a text before we arrive and another when the job is done.