Who Do You Call When Your Furnace Stops Working?
Call a licensed HVAC contractor when your furnace stops working — with two exceptions. If you smell gas, leave the house and call the gas utility or 911 from outside. If a carbon monoxide alarm is sounding, get everyone out and call 911. For everything else — no heat, short cycling, cold air — an HVAC contractor is the right first call, not a plumber or electrician. Renters call the landlord instead, and warranty holders must call the warranty company first or risk a denied claim.
Furnace failure: who to call first by symptom
| Symptom | Who to call first | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Gas or rotten-egg smell | Gas utility or 911, from outside | Possible leak — the utility shuts off gas and clears the home |
| Carbon monoxide alarm sounding | 911 | CO is odorless and can be fatal; responders test the air |
| No heat, furnace won't start | Licensed HVAC contractor | Ignitors, sensors, and boards need HVAC diagnosis |
| Furnace trips the breaker repeatedly | HVAC contractor | Usually a furnace fault, not house wiring |
| No heat in a rental | Landlord or property manager | Maryland requires landlords to maintain heat |
| Covered by a home warranty | Warranty company hotline | Self-arranged repairs are usually not reimbursed |
Safety calls come before repair calls
Gas first, always. A rotten-egg smell means a possible leak: leave without flipping switches or using phones inside, then call the gas utility or 911 from the street. The utility responds free, shuts off the supply, and clears the house. A sounding CO alarm follows the same rule — evacuate and call 911. Both top the list of what counts as a furnace emergency; the HVAC contractor is the second call.
Once the home is safe, the repair belongs to a licensed HVAC contractor. Frederick nights run below freezing through much of December to February, so if the utility shut off your gas or red-tagged the furnace, book an emergency furnace repair visit right away — the house loses heat immediately, and pipes follow within hours.
- Gas utility emergency lines run 24/7 and the leak response is free.
- Don't re-enter the house until the utility or fire department clears it.
- Call the contractor after clearance — they can't work in an uncleared home.
HVAC contractor, landlord, or warranty line?
For ordinary failures — furnace won't start, runs then stops, blows cold air — a licensed HVAC contractor gets the right diagnosis. Electricians handle house wiring and plumbers handle piping, but the ignitor, flame sensor, blower, and control board are HVAC territory. Before you dial, run the safe checks to get a furnace to start — thermostat batteries and tripped breakers fix many no-heat calls.
Two situations change the first call. Renters contact the landlord: Maryland law makes heat the landlord's responsibility, and hiring your own contractor usually means eating the bill. Home warranty holders call the warranty line first — they dispatch their own contractor, and knowing what an emergency furnace call costs out of pocket helps you decide whether to wait or pay for speed.
- Choose a contractor with a Maryland HVACR license and 24/7 dispatch.
- Renters: report no heat to the landlord in writing and note the time.
- Warranty holders: get an authorization number before work begins.
Questions homeowners ask next
Who Do You Call When Your Furnace Stops Working?
A licensed HVAC contractor, unless safety comes first: a gas smell means the gas utility or 911 from outside, and a CO alarm means 911. Renters call the landlord; warranty holders call the warranty line before arranging any repair.
Should I call an electrician if the furnace trips the breaker?
Start with an HVAC contractor. A furnace that re-trips the breaker usually has an internal fault — a failing blower motor or shorted board — not a wiring problem. Leave the breaker off; the technician will refer you out if the panel is the issue.
What if my landlord won't fix the heat?
In Maryland, heat is an essential service the landlord must maintain. Report the failure in writing, keep a copy, and if there's no response, contact Frederick County code enforcement or rent escrow court.