It is not uncommon for homeowners to experience the furnace blowing cold air. Often during the cold winter days, when you would like your home to be warm and cozy, you turn on the heating system, and out comes a gust of cold air. You cannot figure out what is wrong and try raising the temperature but the result still isn’t satisfactory. The HVAC system may warm your home when set at a very high temperature, but that is not how it should work. So why is your furnace blowing cold air?
It is important to find the root cause of why the furnace is blowing cold air and that is what we are going to discuss below. If you are still unable to find the cause yourself, hire a reliable HVAC contractor that offers furnace repair services. In St. Louis, and the surrounding areas, call the heating and air conditioning experts at 314-993-1110.
Why Is the Furnace Blowing Cold Air? Common Causes
It is obvious that something is wrong with the HVAC system if the furnace is blowing cold air. But how serious is the problem? That is the question we need to answer. Below are some common reasons behind your furnace blowing cold air that you should check for if you are experiencing problems.
Thermostat Set To ON
If the thermostat on your HVAC system is set to ON, the blower fan automatically runs. But that does not mean the furnace is on as well. The solution to this is simple. Set the thermostat’s fan setting to AUTO instead of ON.
When it is set to ON, the fan will keep running irrespective of whether the air is heated and ready to be delivered or not. When it is set to AUTO, on the other hand, the fan will only switch on when the air has reached the desired temperature you set.
Pilot Light Turned Off
If yours is an old HVAC system with a pilot light for igniting the furnace fire, this pilot light could be the cause too. Dust or a strong draft of air can sometimes cause the pilot light to get extinguished. So, your furnace is not heating the air in the heat exchanger.
Light up the pilot flame again or get a professional HVAC technician to do it. This should set things back on track.
In the case of an electric furnace, check the circuit breaker switch, if it is tripped, the furnace may not turn on at all. Even modern gas furnaces have an electric starter to light the gas burner. So a tripped breaker could be the issue.
Dirty Furnace Air Filter
Another reason why you may not be getting warm air from the furnace is that the air filter is too clogged and dirty. When the air filter is clogged, air cannot circulate through the HVAC system and the ductwork efficiently. Though your furnace may be heating the air all right, you could still be getting cold air.
Make sure to get the air filter cleaned or replaced at least every other month or so.
Fuel Consumed Entirely
This is obvious but often forgotten. If your furnace runs on a refillable fuel source, such as a propane tank, check if your furnace still has fuel. We often tend to refill and forget. It is possible that the furnace has run out of fuel but the fan is still running, which is why you are getting cold air.
Let Our Experts Figure Out Why Your Furnace is Blowing Cold Air
If none of these tips work for you, you probably need help from expert HVAC contractors to figure out why your furnace is blowing cold air. Contact Galmiche & Sons for all of your HVAC maintenance needs in St. Louis and for help with furnace troubleshooting and repair. Call our heating and air conditioning experts to learn more.
