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Gas heaters are powered by natural gas or propane, also called liquid petroleum or LP. They don't have vents to the outside, like most gas heaters, but they do have meters that monitor the amount of oxygen in the room. If the oxygen drops too low, the heater automatically turns off. Cleaning a ventless gas heater is simple because all you need is a little compressed air and a vacuum. 1.Shut off the ventless gas heater's power and allow it to cool for 30 minutes or more. 2.Open the heater's access panel. Spray compressed air into the all of the burner's holes. 3.Vacuum out the inside of the panel to remove dust and dirt. 4.Spray compressed air into the hole in the pilot assembly near the burner to remove any dust that might block it. 5.Dampen a cloth. Wipe the exterior of the ventless gas heater with the cloth to remove dust and dirt.

No Power You should check to make sure that your home's heater has power. If you find that it does not have power, then you will need to determine the reason why. Start at the circuit breakers or the fuse box, and see if a breaker has been tripped or a fuse has been blown. Sometimes, it helps to turn the heater off and back on. If those two things do not restore the power, then find the power reset button on the unit and press it. Make sure the pilot is lit and make sure that the holes around the pilot are free of debris. If it is not lit you will want to relight it. Not Enough Heat If the house heater is not putting out enough heat make sure that the thermostat is set high enough. If it is, then try replacing the filter. Make sure that nothing is blocking the register vents and that they are open. Look for dirt around the heater's air intake screen and clean if necessary. Finally, make sure that the heater's belt is in good condition and has not become loose. Pilot Will not Light or Stay Lit If the pilot will not light or stay lit, then make sure that the pilot holes are not filled with dirt. The pilot holes can be cleaned with a damp cloth and there should be no dirt in this area. Make sure that gas is getting to the unit. Locate the pilot light button and make sure that it is depressed all the way. The thermocouple may have gone bad. This part is designed to turn off the pilot if it senses trouble. It is held on with some nuts and bolts, so try replacing it, but make sure that you buy the right one for your model. Turns off and on Repeatedly If the heater turns off and on repeatedly then chances are that the filter needs to be replaced. Try removing the filter and see if the heater operates properly. If it does, then you have located the problem. Do not operate the house heater for long without a filter, but go to the store and get another one. Look for a filter that has 90 days of life, but in many cases it will not last that long. Be prepared to buy a new one sooner if the house heater starts cycling repeatedly again. Check the filter monthly to see if needs to be replaced. This is often the case in homes with pets or a fireplace. Noisy If the heater is noisy make sure that the heater is getting enough air and that nothing is blocking the air intake. Look at the belt and see if it is in good condition. Belts can make quite a racket once worn. Read the owner's manual and see if the belt needs lubricant and how to add the oil. These tips will allow you to fix the most common reasons the heater in your house is not working. Each symptom of the heater not working has its own reasons, but the three most common reasons are that the filter has become dirty and needs to be replaced, the circuit breaker has been flipped or the fuse needs to be replaced, or the thermocouple needs to be replaced. These tips are all easy to follow at home. The great news is that you will have heat again in very little time.

Malfunctioning Thermostat This is probably the most common problem, but also the least costly. If the thermostat is malfunctioning, it doesn't mean the heating unit is broken; it just means the heating unit doesn't know when to turn on. Filter Clogging This is a very common and cheap problem, and one that new homeowners find difficulty with. The filter, when clogged, won't let air pass so you'll get poor airflow through the household. If the furnace seems to work fine but you're not getting airflow, probably a bad filter. Fan Motor Malfunction This doesn't happen too often, but when it does, it most likely won't be noticeable at first. You can tell easily if the furnace feels warm but doesn't sound "on." You don't want to run the heater before getting it fixed, as this can cause overheating and damage to the unite. Pilot Malfunction or Disrepair This is a common problem that is easy to spot but requires immediate attention once you do spot it. The best way to tell is that the furnace is not warm or you detect (at all) the smell of gas. Turn off the gas and call someone to repair the problem right away. Electrical Issues If you've recently had a power outage, your furnace might not be broken at all. Sometimes an electrical storm or other irregularity can cause a fuse to bust in the circuit breaker. If this happens, you can test this by replacing the very cheap fuse and attempting to power up the furnace again. It should be noted that the above issues are mostly for forced air central heating and most likely won't apply to radiative heating or other sources. Remember that heaters are complicated machines, and people do go to school to learn to repair them. It's no shame calling someone for a repair, and it will most likely be a much safer affair. What this list does do is help you have a more educated conversation with a repairman as to avoid any extraneous charges.