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No Heat Tonight: How to Stay Warm Safely Until the Furnace Is Fixed

Updated November 2, 2026 · General information, not HVAC or gas-fitting advice

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Gas smell, hissing, or a carbon monoxide alarm sounding? Stop reading and get out. Do not turn anything on or off and do not look for the cause. From outside, call 911 and your gas utility. Go back in only when responders say it is safe. Gas smell steps · CO alarm steps

The short answer: Never heat your home with a gas stovetop or oven, and never run a generator or grill indoors or in the garage. If you use an electric space heater, plug it straight into the wall, keep it 3 feet from anything that burns, and turn it off when you sleep. Keep a working CO alarm. Go to a warm room and wrap up in blankets.

Do

Go to a warm room, keep dry and wrapped up in warm blankets, including the head and neck (Ready.gov).
Space heaters (CPSC): plug electric heaters directly into a wall outlet, not an extension cord or power strip. Keep them at least three feet from drapes, furniture and bedding. Turn them off at bedtime. For fuel-burning heaters, never refuel while in use and let the unit cool first.
Keep CO alarms working on every level and outside sleeping areas (CPSC). See CO and your furnace.
Keep pipes from freezing if the house will cool a lot. Ready.gov says to learn how to keep pipes from freezing. Our sister site Frozen Pipe Plan has the details.

Do not

Never heat the home with a gas stovetop or oven. Ready.gov says it also raises the risk of fires and burns.
Never run a generator inside the home or garage, even with the doors open. Use it outdoors, at least 20 feet from windows, doors and attached garages (CPSC, Ready.gov).
Do not burn charcoal indoors or use camp stoves or flameless chemical heaters indoors (CDC).
Do not use any space heater overnight or unattended around children (our suggestion; the CPSC page says to turn them off at bedtime).

The numbers

The CPSC says portable heaters, including electric space heaters, were involved in an average of 1,600 fires per year, with an average of 70 deaths and 150 injuries annually from 2020 to 2022.

If it's an emergency

If anyone is cold to the point of illness, or you have infants, older adults or anyone with health needs at home, consider going somewhere warm (our suggestion). If you smell gas or a CO alarm sounds, leave and call 911.

No carbon monoxide alarm yet?

CPSC and the NFPA say to have alarms on every level and outside sleeping areas. Look for a UL listing and read the label.

CO and your furnace See carbon monoxide alarms

Need the furnace fixed?

Gas, burner, ignition and venting problems are for a licensed HVAC technician. Our guide covers which signs mean call now.

When to call an HVAC technician Find a licensed HVAC pro near you

Common questions

Is it safe to heat my home with the oven?

No. Ready.gov says never to heat your home with a gas stovetop or oven. It increases the risk of carbon monoxide, fires and burns.

How close can a space heater be to furniture?

The CPSC says at least three feet from drapes, furniture, bedding and other combustibles.

Related guides

Sources