Reasons Why Your Heater is Blowing Cold Air

Even though it’s not unusual for a home to get cold air when the heating system is turned on, it doesn’t mean that it’s something normal. Cool air is not a phenomenon and can happen for various reasons that can be determined by performing certain checks and doing some troubleshooting on the HVAC system or the furnace.

Homes will have a central heating system and a furnace, which is run by gas, or there’s an HVAC system, which uses electricity.

The HVAC system may have both cooling and heating properties, which means the AC on the system can cool the home, and the heater can heat the home. Sometimes, with an HVAC system, it’s a case of mistaken identity, and the AC is turned on instead of the heat, but this isn’t always the reason cold air is being received throughout the vents as opposed to warm air. Finding the cause of the cold air is the only way to get the problem remedied.

What Causes The Cold Air?

Depending on the system, there could be any number of problems, especially since there are many small parts that go into making a furnace or an HVAC system work.

There tends to be a few problems that end up being the culprit, and the problems may not be as major as it first seemed when the problems are discovered. It’s best to get an HVAC or furnace specialist out to the Albuquerque home to determine the cause of the problem, but here are a few reasons why some heating systems typically are blowing cold air.

Is It The Thermostat?

Whenever the central heat is turned on, it’s always done through the thermostat. Albuquerque homes that have cooling capabilities through the same thermostat may mistakenly turn on the cooling system, and they don’t realize that they’ve done so. It’s always best to make sure that the heat option is chosen when the thermostat is turned on.

Another problem can be that the system has not been turned on, even though the thermostat is turned to the heat option. Since there are many different types of thermostats, some will have the option of turning off the central air altogether, whether it’s cooling or heating the home, and without turning it back on, then no heat will come from the vents.

Even with the central air off, it’s still possible to run the fan with the thermostat, which would happen if the fan is turned on as opposed to turning it to “auto,” which then will blow only cool air instead of the warm air that’s expected. It’s also possible that there’s a problem with the battery for the thermostat, which has happened many times.

Many thermostats are supposed to be connected to the electricity and may have a battery for backup in case the power goes out. Thermostats that rely strictly on battery power need to be checked to see if the battery has gone bad or is severely low. In the case of a low battery, it’s possible that the thermostat is no longer performing adequately, which could be bringing cool air as opposed to warm air, so change the battery if it’s necessary.

Is It The Pilot For The Furnace?

Those that have a gas furnace must check the pilot if cool air is ever coming from the vents when it’s turned on. It’s possible that the pilot has gone out, leaving the home with only cool air blowing through the vents. The pilot helps to ignite the fuel, which is gas. If the pilot is out or having a problem lighting, then the fuel cannot burn, thus bringing warmth to the home.

Check the pilot for any problems, especially since it’s possible that the pilot needs replacement. If the pilot is relit but is still going out, then there may be other problems with the furnace, such as a low gas supply.

If the gas supply is suspected, it’s always wise to check other gas appliances in the home, such as the gas stove, and then it can be determined if the gas is working properly. It’s also possible that other problems are present in the furnace, but the pilot tends to be the biggest problem.

Is It The Air Ducts In The Home?

Many may not know where their air ducts are or how they help to keep the home warm, but these are just as important as the HVAC unit or the furnace that’s warming the home.

Air ducts tend to be located in an attic area or crawl space. The air that goes through the air ducts will help to bring warm or cool air throughout the home, depending on what the system is set to at the time. The problem with air ducts is the fact that they can become damaged, which may cause there to be an open space in the air duct, which then becomes a problem.

Air ducts must stay sealed to bring only warm air to the home when the heating system is being used, so air ducts with damage may pull in the cold air from outside of the duct, pushing cool air through the vents. Without repair to these air ducts, it’s possible to continue getting cold air as long as the ducts are damaged.

Other Possible Causes

There are other potential causes why cold air is coming through the vents, such as a condensate clog, an extremely dirty air filter, or possibly other problems with the furnace or HVAC system.

A clog in the condensate line will not allow the line to drain water as it should, and because of the clog a switch is activated, which causes the burners in the furnace not to light, which means no heat.

Although these are only in certain types of furnaces, it’s still a valid problem. A dirty air filter can restrict air to the point where the burners are shut off by the system for safety control reasons, bringing only cold air through the vents. If parts need to be replaced in a furnace or HVAC system, then this also can be the cause of why cold air is replacing the warm air in the heater.

How To Avoid Problems With A Furnace Or HVAC Unit In The Future

There are ways to avoid getting cold air from an HVAC system or furnace, and mostly, this can be done by keeping the system maintained on a yearly basis. The problem with appliances is the fact that many people will not do anything to maintain them unless there is a problem. The appliance may be working just fine until one day it stops working correctly.

Many will then have the thought of getting appliance repair, which could’ve been avoided if regular maintenance was done on the appliance in the first place. An HVAC unit or furnace needs to be checked on a regular basis, and this is to ensure full functionality as well as repairing or replacing any parts of the unit to make sure the home can be warmed or cooled as necessary.

Get quality services through Daniels Heating & Air Conditioning, LLC in your Albuquerque, NM area by calling (505) 898-8860 today!