What are my options here? Please help!

Our heater has been worked on for a month now. He keeps trying new parts here and there, to see if they could be the magic part to make it work properly. It continues to intermittently run, enough to keep the house at a good enough temperature.

Last night it stopped running and it's done. Heater guy says he can't get a new unit today. I have called around. Nobody can get a new unit today.

We have a fireplace, but no wood. I am sure someplace has wood. But DH is in a tizzy and wants to go to a hotel. I am pretty angry that we have to shell out money for a hotel when someone has been working on this damn thing for one month. And who says it will be for just one night?

Heater guy said we can turn the gas stove on. Is that safe? I have a space heater from work that I can bring back home. Is that safe?

I am not sure what I am looking for here. I just didn't know that somebody could be left without a heater in the winter. Thanks for reading.

Re: What are my options here? Please help!

I would say no to the stove but the space heater should be ok.

Hope they get that fixed for you really QUICK!

Re: What are my options here? Please help!

You could turn the gas stove on (not all night), but, its not going to heat the whole house. The space heater would be a good idea. I'd be concerned with pipes freezing because the boiler isn't working-although you could keep the faucets open like the next poster said.

Please don't stay in the house with your son with no heat-it is way too cold. If you don't have the $ for a hotel, please let me know. I have a couch to sleep on (not a hideaway bed though) and a clean bathroom/shower you are more than welcome to come over and use.

Message edited 2/15/2011 10:48:31 AM.

Re: What are my options here? Please help!

Our heat stopped working one night in January, and we made it through to the next day without a problem.

We bundled up, I slept with DS to make sure he was warm enough, and left the water in the bathroom and kitchen sinks running a little bit to keep the pipes from freezing. I would NOT sleep all night with the gas stove running.

Message edited 2/15/2011 10:45:53 AM.

Re: What are my options here? Please help!

I would not use the gas heater. It would make me nervous.

I would use a space heater instead. Maybe get an electric blanket for when you go to bed?

We haven't had to do this in awhile, we have a new oil burner, but before it, there were 1 or 2 nights where we had no heat and had to wait for Slomins (GRRR) to come fix it...we have a wood stove, but when we went to bed, we just layered and layered and lots of blankets..and the dogs in bed!

Re: What are my options here? Please help!

Do you have gas or electric heat?

We have gas an the day after Christmas, durning that lovely snow storm we realized it was colder than normal in the house around 7pm. Turns out we needed a new circuit board for the blower. When I called our gas company (we have a service contract with them) the earliest they could get to us was 3 days later.

My dad walked my DH through and was able to by pass the blower so we turned it on manually but only in the morning for about an hour and at night before the kids went to bed for another hour.
It did get cold but we all bundled up and it wasn't that bad.

Re: What are my options here? Please help!

We have gas heat. Heater guy is here now exhaust all other options, since he can't get the unit today. I pray it works. DH is really pi$$ing me off about this, but God forbid he ever make ONE flucking phone call about getting this fixed. That's right. I have made EVERY phone call for this unit, even from work. Now he just texted MIL and she just called me to tell me I am not being firm enough. Well, I was firm enough when I went off on her. I may kill somebody by the end of the day.

Message edited 2/15/2011 11:35:51 AM.

Re: What are my options here? Please help!

you can get wood at Home depot or even 7-11. the space heater will work for a small area to keep you warm when sleeping. do not turn on your stove....that is how people die.

You could always pick up a 2nd space heater. you should be fine for a day or two....today is going to be the coldest. I lived like this for 2 days once.

Re: What are my options here? Please help!

I would not use the stove to heat your home under any circumstances. That is how house fires occur and when the insurance finds out they will say it is your fault the house went on fire and not pay out. So this is a completely bad idea. The fact that this was the repair man's suggestion makes me and I would not use him at all. He seems to be taking you for a ride. I would go to home depot or lowes and have them install one. I would then find a new repair man. This guy is an idiot!!!!!!