It’s raining and you notice a spot on your ceiling that wasn’t there when it was dry outside. Your furnace is running but the air isn’t warm. A baseball comes rocketing through your bedroom window.
Our homes are built to keep us dry, safe and comfortable and most of the time, they do their job, barely noticed. When things go sideways, and things that are supposed to be outside are suddenly inside, that’s when we sit up and pay attention. For many of us, a home concern means calling a professional who understands the problem, what caused it and how to fix it. But how do you know what’s a real, call-somebody-right-now emergency and what can wait until morning – or Monday?
Maertin Heating and Cooling understands the confusion; a lot of things can go wrong, a lot of things can wait and a lot of things need immediate attention to protect your family from harm or to protect your home from severe damage.
If you see water dripping slowly from pipes or fixtures, that’s usually not an emergency, especially if you can collect the water. Be sure that water isn’t seeping under floors, walls, baseboards or cabinets, which can cause major damage before you notice. When you cannot contain the water, turn off the water supply and call a plumber immediately. When you notice a soft, discolored spot on your ceiling, call a roofing company when the rain stops. If that spot breaks open and water splashes into your home, put a bucket underneath and call the roofer immediately.
When your carbon monoxide detector rings an alarm, exit your house immediately, ensuring all persons and pets are outside. Call 9-1-1 immediately and then call Maertin Heating and Cooling.
When you smell gas and see a stove burner has been left on but there is no flame, turn off the burner, open windows and evacuate your family. Wait for the odor to completely dissipate before reentering. If the smell of gas lingers, call Nicor for safety. If you smell gas and cannot identify the source, evacuate your family and call Nicor or 9-1-1 immediately. Do not reenter the building until you’ve been given the all-clear by experts.
A hole in a window can generally be taped or tarped until Monday, but a shattered window may need emergency service to clean up dangerous small glass shards and secure your home.
When everyone else in the neighborhood has power except you, call ComEd first. They may be able to solve your outage by working outside of your home. If not, you’ll need to call an electrician quickly. Power outages may be just a hassle while you try to keep the kids out of the refrigerator, or they could be critical emergencies when a family member relies on medical devices or the weather is severe. A power outage to your sump pump during a rain storm can cause major flooding within your home.
Your personal health and weather conditions play large parts in the urgency of HVAC issues too. In summer, an air conditioner on the fritz can be merely inconvenient when the weather is temperate, but deadly when the temperatures soar, especially for families with infants or elderly. When it’s chilly outside, a broken furnace could mean an extra blanket for healthy families, or could be very serious when family members have chronic health issues. However, whenever temperatures will drop below freezing, it’s imperative to have your furnace fixed immediately. Burst pipes and flooding will only make your home repair costs much more expensive.
At Maertin Heating and Cooling, we’ll treat every call you make to us with urgency and care for your comfort, safety and health. Our emergency services are available 24/7/365. Whenever you have questions, concerns or a problem, call 708-479-9350. We are here to help!
