Sharon · No Heat
Lost heat in Sharon during a storm or a deep freeze? Handle the safety checks first, then call or send a request to reach an independent heating contractor who serves Sharon.
Sharon, Massachusetts
Sharon's worst heating nights have tended to arrive with a storm. Norfolk County was part of FEMA major disaster declarations for winter storms in January 2015, twice in March 2018, and again in January 2022, and the town's hazard mitigation plan update lists Hurricane Sandy and the snowstorms of 2013, 2015, and 2018. When the power drops, a gas or oil system with electric controls stops too, even though nothing inside it is broken.
That's why the first question on a cold night is whether the problem is the equipment or the power feeding it. If the neighbors' windows are dark as well, a repair visit won't bring the heat back; the outage has to end. If yours is the only dark house, or the power is on and the burner still won't fire, it's time to call.
Safety comes before both questions. A carbon monoxide alarm or a gas smell means everyone leaves the house, and the call to 911 or Eversource Gas happens from outside. After that, call or send a request and you'll be connected with an independent heating contractor who serves Sharon; we make the referral, and that business does the repair.
Lights and outlets work, the thermostat is calling for heat, and nothing happens. That points to a control, ignition, or fuel problem a contractor has to diagnose.
One press of the reset button is the limit. Repeated resets can pump unburned oil into the combustion chamber and make the next start dangerous.
Many newer furnaces and boilers vent through a pipe in the wall instead of a chimney. If drifting snow covered it and the unit shut down, clear the snow by hand and call if it won't restart.
A puddle from a relief valve or a leaking fitting, combined with a cold house, needs attention before pipes in outside walls start to freeze.
If the house has fallen well below the thermostat setting and the forecast is bitter, pipes in exterior walls and crawlspaces are at risk within hours.
Local knowledge
A few local facts decide what a no-heat emergency looks like in Sharon.
Storm Record
FEMA declarations covering Norfolk County include DR-4214 in January 2015, DR-4372 and DR-4379 in March 2018, and DR-4651 in January 2022. Multi-day storms are when snow buries exhaust vents and outages leave houses cold, so learn where your heating system vents before the next one.
Source: FEMA
Low Spots On The Map
Sharon's hazard mitigation plan update names flooding at Billings Street, Morse Street, Edgehill at Dedham Street, Saw Mill Pond Road, Main Street near Massapoag Brook, and School Meadow Brook at Commercial Street. A furnace or boiler in a basement that took on water should stay off until a pro has inspected its burner and controls.
Gas Supplier
If you smell gas, Eversource Gas is the company to call once you're outside, along with 911. Your heating contractor comes after the leak has been ruled out, not before.
Source: MassDOT Utility Contacts
Right now
Work through these in order, before you call and while you wait.
Take everyone, pets included, outside without flipping switches. Call 911 or Eversource Gas from the yard or a neighbor's house, and stay out until responders say the home is clear.
Look at the houses around you. If the whole street is dark, the furnace or boiler probably isn't broken, and the heat will return when the power does.
A portable generator belongs outside, well away from windows, doors, and vents, never in a basement or attached garage. Generator exhaust is a serious carbon monoxide risk after storms.
Confirm the thermostat batteries, the heating system's service switch, and the breaker. If an oil burner shows a lockout light, press reset once and only once.
Open cabinet doors under sinks on outside walls and let a faucet drip. Keep doors to unused, unheated rooms closed while you wait for help.
What to expect
Expect the contractor to start at the thermostat and power supply, then work through ignition, fuel delivery, and venting. On an oil system that usually means the nozzle, filter, and electrodes; on a gas system, the igniter, flame sensor, and pressure switch. They should explain the cause before they quote the fix.
Ask whether the repair needs a permit; replacing a whole furnace or boiler generally does. In Sharon, gas work goes through the Building Division's plumbing and gas inspector, who inspects by appointment on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday afternoons, and an oil burner replacement uses the fire department's Oil Burner Installation Permit form. If heat has to be restored before the inspection, ask the contractor how they handle that.
After a flooded basement, a careful contractor will want to inspect every component that sat in water before restarting anything. Some controls and gas valves have to be replaced rather than dried out, and the contractor should tell you which.
Hire smart
Massachusetts has no single HVAC license. Gas work needs a gas fitter license, oil burner work a Department of Fire Services certificate, ductwork a sheet metal license, and larger refrigeration systems a refrigeration technician license. Most heating and cooling installs need a town permit.
Ask for the license number on the phone. Gas fitters appear in the state's occupational license lookup, and oil burner technicians are verified through the Department of Fire Services.
Find out how the contractor bills for a night or weekend visit and whether the diagnostic charge is applied to the repair.
If the verdict is replacement, ask whether a temporary fix can keep the house safe for a day or two while you get written estimates to compare.
Replacement work in Sharon should go through the Building Division or the fire department's oil burner form, filed by the contractor who does the job.
Costs
Timing is the variable you can see: nights, weekends, and storm days often carry higher service charges, and a part the contractor doesn't stock can mean a second trip. What you can't see until the diagnosis is whether the fix is a small sensor or a failed heat exchanger.
Ask for the diagnosis in plain words, the repair price in writing, and whether the manufacturer still covers the failed part on your unit. If the system is old and the repair is major, ask the contractor to price both the repair and a replacement so you can compare them honestly once the house is warm again.
More help in Sharon
Every page below is written for Sharon homes. Or start from the Sharon hvac guide.
Questions
Still not sure? Send a short request and a local pro can answer the specifics.
Probably not. Most gas and oil systems need electricity for their controls, blowers, and pumps, so they stop during an outage. If the heat doesn't come back once the power returns, call a contractor.
Only with the generator outdoors, away from openings, and connected through a proper transfer switch installed by an electrician. Never run one in a basement or garage, and keep your CO alarms working.
Leave first, then call 911 or Eversource Gas from outside. Don't switch lights on or off, don't use a phone indoors, and don't try to find the leak yourself.
Whether a Sharon visit happens tonight comes down to each contractor's calendar and whether the failed part is on hand. When you call, you'll be connected with an independent local heating contractor who can tell you their timing and what to do meanwhile.
No. Leave it off and have a contractor inspect the burner, controls, and any gas valve that sat in water. Some of those parts must be replaced to be safe.
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