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_mAkon_ t1_j76w69z wrote

Thanks everyone for the advise. Turns out the thermostat I bought was also bad. A friend told me to try connecting the 2 wires that go to the thermostat and the heat came on. Getting another new thermostat now.

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tiny-starship t1_j76ofi9 wrote

I got this from my heat people, probably explains it:

Tonight into tomorrow, we all will experience temperatures and wind chills that our homes' heating systems are NOT designed for. The state building code dictates that a home heating system must be sized to a 5-degree night with a 10 mph wind. We will be experiencing a -10 degree night with 20 mph wind.   If your heating system is properly sized, it will NOT maintain temperature. The temperature WILL drop while the heating system is working at full capacity.    WHAT TO DO 1 Please raise the temperature in your home 2 to 4 degrees above your normal setting.  2 Take all programmable thermostats out of setback mode and set on a permanent HOLD.   3 If you have a furnace; replace the filter or remove it completely until the weather event is over.  4 Keep garage doors closed.  5 Limit opening exterior doors.  6 Make sure air vents and radiators are not blocked or obstructed.If you have a 90%+ furnace and boiler, you must keep the intake and exhaust clear of ice and snow. During these cold temperatures, ice can build up. A 90%+ furnace and boiler have 2 white PVC pipes; an exhaust pipe, and an intake pipe that are generally on the side or back of your home.  7 Refrain from using pellet stoves or supplemental heat forms if you have a water-based heating system. The pipes WILL freeze.If the temperature in your home is dropping and your radiators are HOT with boiler systems, or you have HOT air coming out of your vents with furnaces, DO NOT PANIC. Please make sure that your heating system continues to operate. 8 If the temperatures drop in your home, it will not be able to recover until temperatures rise and the wind chill diminishes. Heating systems can not overcome temperatures below 0 degrees. Set your thermostat on hold at 70 degrees or higher. 9 To help minimize temperature loss, you can boil water, make soup or stews, or bake something - it helps introduce humidity and warmer temperatures into your home.  10 Please check on neighbors and elderly residents during these extreme temperatures. Stay warm and safe this week.  11 The key is to NOT panic with falling temps inside your home if you have heat coming out of your registers. It is doing all it can. If it had feelings, it would be crying!  12 Stay safe and bring your pets inside!    13 Run a small stream of cold water in every faucet to help prevent a water freeze.   If your water stops flowing or a how water heating loop stops heating – Immediately shut off the water feed to your home!  This would indicate a frozen pipe that may have burst.  Once the thaw hits, the pipes could leak and cost tens of thousands of dollars worth of damage.

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Aggravating_Host_311 t1_j7778it wrote

Friendly reminder. Building codes are a floor, not a ceiling. If you're installer doesn't exceed code then you need a new installer. Ditto for anything involving you're house.

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modernhomeowner t1_j78kf2z wrote

I would agree, but with heat pumps, people would need to choose between lifetime efficiency and the super cold weather single day comfort. Heat pumps are probably the most "sized to only 5°" type heating system we have, and a larger system would mean higher cost and system cycling all other days of use, maybe even shortening the life of the unit. It may be better to have a supplemental system on standby such as portable electric or indoor propane heaters, a fireplace/pellet stove or something of that nature, rather than an HVAC system larger than you need 729/730 days every 2 years.

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lotusblossom60 t1_j76knnr wrote

128 plumbing and heating

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[deleted] OP t1_j76mpmt wrote

[removed]

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lotusblossom60 t1_j76oho4 wrote

What are you even talking about!?

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Siollear t1_j78o4gf wrote

We use 128. One of their plumbers wears a giant Jesus cross unironically around their neck, which looks like something Flav o Flav would wear, so there's probably a few magas in there.

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IntelligentMeal40 t1_j76l2wm wrote

If your heating system is run off water, make sure your water is actually working. I am up in New Hampshire and our City pipes are frozen I think. Half the apartments here don’t have water and it’s not the pipes inside the buildings it’s the pipes under the ground. The people who have a hot water system to run their heat don’t have heat this morning

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fkenned1 t1_j76luhd wrote

Piggybacking here to say that even if the city water is working, there might be a frozen water loop in your house if it’s near an exterior wall. I woke up in the middle of the night to no heat, and this was the issue. Had to thaw my pipes with heaters/heated blankets to get the furnace to kick on again. ALSO, have you tried the reset switch on your burner? That can sometimes get it to kick back on.

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Yanosh457 t1_j76kldl wrote

Callahan, Correct Temp, Royal Air, are my recommendations and are all good reputable companies.

Edit: you could also ask questions in r/hvacadvice for advice on your system.

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BeaArt78 t1_j76mb6b wrote

Mines struggling too

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beeinabearcostume t1_j76rpp3 wrote

Downstairs isn’t going above 58 with our heating system on (gas heat). I have oil-filled radiator space heaters for days like this. They produce a good amount of heat and really help make things bearable. Hopefully the power stays on.

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BeaArt78 t1_j76tzb4 wrote

We were at 51 around 3am. Slowly going up but we have space heaters now

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tiny-starship t1_j76u7za wrote

See what I posted above

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BeaArt78 t1_j774xog wrote

We rent so cant do some of that unfortunately. Our friend in hvac said theres not much to do as its gas heat and supply is limited. The house is unmaintained and minimal insulation plus second floor with nothing buffering the wind. We lived but it sucked lol

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sedevilc2 t1_j76t593 wrote

DiPietro, I've used them before in emergencies.

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jjgould165 t1_j76pk5e wrote

Is your pilot light on?

I might call the fire department for some help, they might come over. MHL is open as a warming center and you could walk over and talk to the fd next door.

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Educational_Lake_147 t1_j76qw3i wrote

Same just had to message maintenance for my apt and they said the heating company already had 10 calls ahead of us and couldn't give a time

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tiny-starship t1_j76u74c wrote

See what I posted above

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Educational_Lake_147 t1_j7789oa wrote

Already did. Old radiators and my apartment is about 20 F. Cat is cold and I'm wearing two jackets. There really isn't much of your advice I can take.

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eastcitygreen t1_j78cg88 wrote

The temperature inside your apartment is seriously 20 F? That’s insane

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Educational_Lake_147 t1_j78ez5b wrote

yes it's insane i cant do anything or i get immediately cold and have a heating pad and heater going in my room so my cat doesn't like keel over

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lalaw39 t1_j7adq2d wrote

Can you get some electric space heaters?? Some really throw out a lot of heat.

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Educational_Lake_147 t1_j7au7kc wrote

Boyfriend brought a space heater over and maintenance managed to send a guy. Apt nice and toasty again. Thank you all for suggestions & concern I really appreciate it

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Zealousideal_Lie_383 t1_j77ewzw wrote

Have you called the folks who deliver the oil? Don’t most of them also service the burners? They’d at least have an emergency operator who could presumably refer you to their recommended repair company

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t_11 t1_j78dvqt wrote

Do you have an electric backup?

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Outrageous_Map3458 t1_j79cedk wrote

Get ready to pay out of the ass to get them to come out over the weekend.

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