Furnace Not Working in Denver? What to Do During a Winter Storm

If your furnace is not working in Denver, here’s what to do right now. First, call or text 360 HVAC Pro at (720) 925-2051 for same-day emergency service. Second, run through 6 quick troubleshooting checks (thermostat, breaker, filter, gas valve, power switch, reset button) to see if it’s a fast fix. Third, keep pipes from freezing by opening cabinet doors under sinks and letting faucets drip while you wait.

Furnace not working in Denver during a winter storm? First, check three quick items (thermostat, breaker, air filter), then call for same-day emergency service if those don’t solve it. In short, most Denver furnace breakdowns come down to one of six easy-to-check issues. Below, this guide walks through the exact troubleshooting steps to try before we arrive, how to stay warm safely while waiting, what to avoid, and when to call for emergency furnace repair versus waiting until morning.

At 360 HVAC Pro, we run same-day emergency furnace repair across Commerce City and the Denver metro. Call or text (720) 925-2051 for immediate service. Furthermore, you can also start with our free online HVAC cost calculator to see a real ballpark price before we arrive. A real Commerce City person answers the phone.

What to Do When Your Furnace Is Not Working in Winter: 6 First Steps

When your furnace stops working in a Denver winter, run these 6 quick checks before calling for service. In fact, one of these steps solves the problem for most homeowners in under 5 minutes.

First: Quick Thermostat and Electrical Checks

1. Check the thermostat. Set it to HEAT (not COOL or OFF), at least 5 degrees above room temperature, and confirm the batteries aren’t dead. Then try switching the fan setting to AUTO. As simple as it sounds, a wrong thermostat setting is the number-one cause of “furnace not working” calls we get.
2. Reset the circuit breaker. Go to your electrical panel and find the breaker labeled FURNACE or HVAC. Flip it fully OFF, wait 30 seconds, and flip it back ON. Consequently, this resets any electrical fault that tripped the system.
3. Inspect the air filter. A clogged air filter is the second most common cause. If your filter is grey, dusty, or you can’t remember when you last changed it, pull it out and try running the furnace with a clean one (or none at all as a temporary test).

Then: Gas Supply and Power Switch Checks

4. Verify the gas valve is ON. Follow the gas line to your furnace and confirm the shutoff valve is in the OPEN position (parallel to the pipe). Additionally, check that other gas appliances (stove, water heater) work normally. If they don’t, call Xcel Energy at 1-800-895-4999.
5. Flip the furnace power switch to ON. Most furnaces have a light-switch style toggle mounted on the side of the unit or on a nearby wall. This switch sometimes flips to the OFF position accidentally, especially in basements and utility closets.
6. Look for the reset button. Most modern furnaces have a small red reset button near the blower motor. Press and hold for 3 seconds, wait 10 seconds, then try running the furnace. However, if the furnace resets and then trips again, do not keep resetting it. Instead, call for service because repeated resets can be a safety issue.

If the 6 Steps Don’t Fix It

Call 360 HVAC Pro at (720) 925-2051 for same-day emergency furnace repair in Commerce City or the Denver metro. Realistically, we can usually get to you within a few hours.

How to Stay Warm Safely While Waiting for Same-Day Service

While you wait for emergency furnace repair, do these things to stay warm and prevent secondary damage:

• Close off unused rooms and consolidate everyone into one central room, ideally with south-facing windows for daytime solar heat gain.
• Open cabinet doors under sinks on exterior walls to let warm air circulate around pipes. This is critical in Denver winters because frozen pipes can burst and cause thousands of dollars in water damage.
• Let interior faucets drip slowly on the coldest lines to keep water moving through pipes.
• Layer up with wool, fleece, and blankets. Furthermore, hats prevent significant heat loss from your head, especially at night.
• Use electric space heaters in the room you’re occupying, but never leave them running unattended, and keep them at least 3 feet from anything flammable.
• Heat water on the stovetop and enjoy warm drinks and warm meals. In fact, hot soup or tea does a lot to keep you comfortable.
• Keep the garage door closed to insulate any adjacent walls.

If you have young children, elderly family members, or anyone with health conditions, consider going to a warm public place (library, mall, friend’s house) if the wait for repair extends beyond a few hours.

What NOT to Do When Your Furnace Dies

Some quick-fix ideas that homeowners consider during a furnace emergency are genuinely dangerous. Specifically:

• Skip the gas oven idea. Running your gas oven or stovetop for warmth produces carbon monoxide that builds up to lethal levels indoors. This ranks as one of the most common causes of accidental CO poisoning during winter storms.
• Portable propane and kerosene heaters belong outdoors. They produce carbon monoxide and only work safely in ventilated spaces like an open garage.
• Grills stay outside the house. Charcoal and gas grills produce lethal carbon monoxide, even in a garage with the door open. This is another common CO poisoning scenario.
• CO detector alarm means evacuate first. Do not restart the furnace after a CO alarm. Instead, evacuate, call 911, and get a licensed technician to inspect the system before running it again.
• Gas smell means leave immediately. If you smell rotten eggs or sulfur near your furnace, leave the house right away, call Xcel Energy at 1-800-895-4999 from outside the home, and do not turn any switches on or off (a spark can ignite gas).
• Repeated resets are a safety risk. Do not reset the furnace more than twice. In fact, repeated resets can cause a dangerous fuel-air buildup in the combustion chamber.

Should I Call for Emergency Furnace Repair or Wait Until Morning?

The honest answer depends on three factors: your outdoor temperature, who’s in the home, and what caused the furnace to stop. Specifically, here’s the honest decision framework:

Call for emergency furnace repair immediately if:

• Outdoor temperature is below 32°F and dropping
• Anyone in the home is an infant, elderly, or has respiratory or cardiovascular conditions
• A CO detector alarmed at any point
• You smell gas near the furnace
• Water pipes run along exterior walls (frozen pipe risk)
• You noticed a burning smell before the furnace shut down

Waiting until morning is usually safe if:

• Overnight low outside stays above 40°F
• Your home is well-insulated and space heaters are working
• Everyone in the home is healthy and mobile
• No safety alarms have activated
• Pipes are on interior walls only

At 360 HVAC Pro, we run same-day emergency service across the Denver metro, so most calls we get after standard hours can still be handled that same day rather than the next. Furthermore, our emergency service does not carry an inflated after-hours diagnostic fee. Call or text (720) 925-2051 to check availability.

Why a Furnace Not Working in Denver During Winter Is Especially Dangerous

A furnace not working in Denver during winter carries three risks that milder climates don’t face. Specifically:

Frozen pipes. Denver overnight lows can drop below zero during winter storms. When your furnace fails, indoor temperatures can drop below freezing within 8 to 12 hours in a poorly-insulated home. As a result, water pipes can freeze, burst, and cause thousands of dollars in water damage on top of the original repair.

Altitude and combustion issues. At Commerce City’s 5,150-foot elevation, gas furnaces burn less efficiently when they’re already struggling. Realistically, a failing furnace at altitude produces more carbon monoxide than the same failure at sea level. Consequently, CO detectors and combustion safety checks matter more here than almost anywhere else in the country.

Faster body heat loss. In Denver’s low-humidity, high-altitude climate, the body loses heat faster than in humid areas. As a result, hypothermia risk rises quickly during a heating emergency, especially for children and older adults. Meanwhile, homes at altitude also lose heat faster through windows and roofs than homes at sea level do.

Denver Emergency Resources You Should Know

Save these numbers in your phone before you need them:

• 360 HVAC Pro (Same-Day Emergency Repair): (720) 925-2051
• Xcel Energy (Gas Emergency, Suspected Leak): 1-800-895-4999
• Heating cost assistance: The Colorado Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP) helps at 1-866-432-8435 or through the Colorado LEAP program page ↗
• 911 for medical emergency, gas leak evacuation, or CO poisoning symptoms

The Colorado LEAP program helps qualifying households cover heating costs and can even assist with heating equipment repair or replacement during the winter heating season (November through April). If you’re worried about the cost of an emergency furnace repair, call LEAP first to check eligibility. Additionally, you can price your likely repair before we arrive using our free online HVAC cost calculator, so you know exactly what you’re looking at.

Prevent Next Winter’s Emergency: The 360 HVAC Maintenance Plan

Skipped annual maintenance is the honest reason most Denver furnace emergencies happen. Specifically, an annual fall tune-up catches worn ignitors, dirty flame sensors, weak capacitors, and combustion issues before they turn into a no-heat call on the coldest night of the year.

The 360 HVAC Pro Maintenance Plan covers this for a flat $189 a year. In fact, it includes:

• Fall furnace tune-up (before winter demand hits)
• Spring AC tune-up
• Priority scheduling during peak seasons
• Member discount on any repair
• 24/7 emergency service included
• Written summary of every visit

For example, a $189 October tune-up would have prevented most breakdowns we respond to during Denver winter storms. Consequently, if you just went through a furnace emergency and don’t want to do it again next winter, the plan pays for itself the first time it prevents one no-heat call.

Ready for Same-Day Emergency Furnace Repair in Commerce City?

If your furnace is not working right now, we’re standing by. Call or text (720) 925-2051, or reach out through our contact page. A real Commerce City person answers, and we can usually get to you the same day for emergency furnace repair across the Denver metro.

If your furnace is running but showing warning signs (short cycling, weak airflow, strange noises), see our guide on whether to repair or replace your Denver furnace. Furthermore, you can price a potential repair or replacement before we come out using our free online HVAC cost calculator. It runs anonymously and takes about two minutes.