No heat
No heat? Here is what to do right now
Safety first. Then a few checks that are safe for anyone to try, what to do about frozen pipes, and the rules landlords must follow during heat season. If the heat stays off, call or text us 24/7.
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In short
If your heat is out in New York City, first make sure no one is in danger: if you smell gas or a carbon monoxide alarm sounds, get everyone outside and call 911. Then check the thermostat, the boiler's emergency switch and the breaker. If the heat still does not come on, call or text Empire Pro NY, 24/7.
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First: is anyone in danger?
Do these before anything else. No repair is worth the risk.
- If you smell gas, leave nowGet everyone out of the building. Do not turn lights or appliances on or off, do not light a match and do not use a phone inside. Call 911 from a safe distance outside, and do not go back in until the fire department says it is safe.
- If a carbon monoxide alarm sounds, get outCarbon monoxide has no smell. Headache, dizziness, nausea or confusion are warning signs. Open windows on your way out if you can, get to fresh air and call 911.
- Never heat the home with the oven or stoveA gas oven or stove is not a heater, and a generator never runs indoors. Both can fill the home with carbon monoxide. If you use an electric space heater, plug it straight into the wall and keep it away from curtains and bedding.
- Smoke, a burning smell or a boiler banging hardTurn the boiler or furnace off at its emergency switch, usually a red switch plate at the top of the basement stairs or near the unit, and do not try to restart it. If there is smoke or fire, get out and call 911.
Source: FDNY Smart: Natural Gas · NYC Emergency Management: Carbon Monoxide
Safe checks before you call
These take a few minutes and need no tools. Stop at any step that does not feel safe, and never open up the boiler or the burner yourself.
- Check the thermostatMake sure it is set to Heat and a few degrees above the room temperature. If the screen is blank, replace the batteries.
- Check the emergency switchThe boiler or furnace has an on and off switch that looks like a light switch, often with a red plate, at the top of the basement stairs or on the unit. It is easy to turn off by mistake.
- Check the breaker or fuseLook for a tripped breaker marked boiler, burner or furnace and reset it once. If it trips again, leave it off and call us.
- Look at the boiler gaugeOn a hot-water boiler, a pressure gauge near zero usually means low water. On a steam boiler, the small glass tube on the side shows the water level and should not be empty. Never add water to a hot steam boiler: let it cool and call us.
- Furnace: check the filterA clogged air filter can make a furnace shut itself off. Replace it if it is dark with dust, and make sure the furnace door is closed tight, since many furnaces will not run with it open.
- Pilot lights: follow the label or leave itIf an older boiler has a pilot light, relight it only by the instructions printed on the unit. If you smell gas at any point, stop and leave.
Frozen pipes
With the heat off in freezing weather, pipes on outside walls and in unheated spaces freeze first.
- Let warm air reach the pipesOpen the cabinet doors under sinks on outside walls, and keep doors and windows to the outside tightly closed. Turn off the water to outside faucets and drain them.
- Seal drafts and protect the meterRepair broken basement windows, close off drafts into crawl spaces, and insulate pipes and the water meter where they run through unheated space, such as a garage.
- Going away in cold weather?Ask someone to turn on a faucet now and then while you are gone, so water keeps moving through the pipes.
- Thaw a frozen pipe gentlyOpen a faucet near the frozen spot, then warm the pipe with a hair dryer, a heat lamp or a small space heater set nearby.
- Never use an open flameA torch or lighter on a frozen pipe is a fire hazard and can cause a steam explosion.
- If a pipe has burst, shut the mainClose the main water valve, usually where the water line enters the building near the meter, and call us. If water is near outlets or the electrical panel, stay away from it.
NYC heat season: what landlords must provide
In New York City, building owners must give tenants heat during heat season and hot water all year. These are the city rules from NYC Housing Preservation and Development (HPD).
- Heat season: October 1 to May 31Heat must be provided from October 1 through May 31.
- Daytime: at least 68°F insideFrom 6 AM to 10 PM, when it is below 55°F outside, the inside temperature must be at least 68°F.
- Nighttime: at least 62°F insideFrom 10 PM to 6 AM, the inside temperature must be at least 62°F, whatever the temperature outside.
- Hot water all year: 120°FHot water must be provided every day of the year at a constant minimum of 120°F.
- No heat in a rental? Owner first, then 311Tenants should tell the owner, managing agent or super first. If the heat is not restored, file a complaint with 311 by phone, online or in the 311 app.
These rules protect tenants in rentals. If you own your home, the heating system is yours to keep running, and we can help.
When to call us
- The heat is still off after the checks above
- The breaker for the boiler or furnace trips again
- The boiler is leaking, low on water or showing a fault light
- Radiators stay cold, bang or hiss, or only some rooms heat
- A pipe has frozen or burst
- You own a building and your tenants need their heat back
We repair and replace boilers, furnaces, radiators and heat pumps in all five boroughs, and we answer 24/7. We are licensed and insured, and estimates are free.
See our heating service Other emergencies: what to do right now
Heating repair by borough: Brooklyn, the Bronx and Staten Island.
No heat: questions people ask
Is no heat an emergency?
It can be. With a baby, an older person or someone who is ill in the home, or in freezing weather when pipes can freeze, treat it as one and call us. We answer 24/7.
What temperature must my landlord keep my apartment?
During heat season, October 1 to May 31: at least 68°F from 6 AM to 10 PM when it is below 55°F outside, and at least 62°F from 10 PM to 6 AM. These are NYC HPD rules.
Can I use the oven to heat the apartment?
No. A gas oven or stove can fill the home with carbon monoxide. If you need heat while you wait, use an electric space heater plugged straight into the wall and kept away from anything that can burn.
Why is only part of the house cold?
Usually a stuck zone valve or air in a hot-water system, a failed air vent on a steam radiator, or a blocked duct or filter on a furnace. We find which one it is and fix it.
Who pays if a frozen pipe or water meter breaks?
DEP makes homeowners responsible for protecting their pipes and meters from freezing. If a meter breaks because it was not protected, DEP replaces it and bills the owner; a broken service line or house pipe is the owner’s repair, by a licensed master plumber.
Do you work for landlords and building owners?
Yes. We service boilers and heating systems in homes and small buildings across all five boroughs, so owners can get heat back to their tenants.
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Still no heat? Call or text us.
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