3 Reasons Why Your Heater Is Blowing Cold Air

Why Is It Still Cold When The Heat Is On?

What can be more frustrating than turning on the heat in very cold Boston weather only to be met by colder air? You know that you turned on the heat, but only cold air is flowing through the vents. You may even wait for a while to see if the air will warm up some, but if there is a problem that’s undetected, then only cold air will continue to blow, but why is this the case?

There can be several reasons why cold air is coming from the heater, and this must be determined by doing some troubleshooting. It’s possible to troubleshoot on your own to find the problem, but the problem might be a lot deeper and need an HVAC specialist to check out the unit to see why only cold air is blowing in the home.

A Few Reasons Why The Heater Blows Cold

The reasons why the heating is blowing out cold air may not be readily prevalent, but it may be something that can be determined after checking out a few things.

The thermostat may be the issue, lack of gas in the furnace, or the furnace or HVAC unit has a problem that is keeping it from working properly.

The Thermostat-

Anyone who has central air in their home will have a thermostat to control the system, and it works based on the temperature in the room. The thermostat will tell the current temperature in the room, and if you’re trying to warm up the room, then the temperature setting for the heating system must go above the current room temperature. If the heat is turned on and the temperature is set to higher than what the room temperature is, then warm air should be coming out of the central heating system if everything else is working properly.

The thermostat tends to be an issue why no warm air is blowing into the room, and it could be because the thermostat hasn’t been turned on properly.

Some may accidentally turn on the cooling system as opposed to the heat, and that’s why they are getting cold air. It should be determined that the heat is on, and not the air-conditioning if the thermostat is programmed for both the heating and cooling system. If the heat is on and turned to a temperature higher than the current room temperature, then there may be another issue.

Also, check the battery on the thermostat because a low battery can affect the thermostat and not allow it to turn on the heating or cooling system when necessary.

The Pilot Or Electricity-

Those with a gas furnace that heats the home may not realize that the pilot has gone out, and this should be verified to determine if it’s the reason why cold air is blowing when the heat should be blowing instead.

The pilot on a gas system must be lit, and in turn, it will help the gas system to keep the home warm. If the pilot is out, then it’s a matter of determining if the gas supply is low, if it’s out, or if it has fluctuating pressure or other issues. Check the other gas appliances in the home to determine if there is a problem with the gas supply.

If every other gas appliance works properly, then there may be an issue with the furnace itself. If the supply of gas is the issue, then contacting the gas company should give you an idea of when the gas should be turned back on or if there is a problem with normalcy of the gas supply.

It may even be necessary to get a professional from the gas company over to your home to determine why the gas pressure is low, especially if they have not noted any problems with other homes in the area.

Those with an HVAC unit that has both AC as well as heat won’t have issues with a pilot, so they may need to look at the electricity supply for the HVAC unit to make sure it's plugged in, even though the unit is outdoors. If electricity is properly being supplied to the unit, then it’s possible that the HVAC unit itself is the problem.

The Furnace Or HVAC Unit-

A major reason for cold air to be coming out of the heating system is because the furnace or HVAC unit is having one of many possible problems. There may be a disconnection somewhere, parts may have been worn and not replaced, the unit may be broken and need replacement, a burner may be failing, there could be a problem with the heat exchanger or many other issues.

Since there are so many issues that can be had with both the furnace or an HVAC unit, this is where it’s necessary to call out a professional to check on the unit, which may need repair.

Resolutions To Fix The Cold Air Problem

After some troubleshooting, the problem should become clear, or it’s possible that the problem becomes more elusive. With all the different parts that go into a furnace or an HVAC unit, it’s possible that there can be many problems.

If the thermostat is not the problem, the gas pressure isn’t a problem, and the pilot on the furnace is lit, then more than likely there’s a problem with the unit itself.

A professional will be able to determine exactly what the problem is, and it may be necessary to get parts for the unit, especially if the unit hasn’t regularly been maintained.

A yearly inspection and maintenance should head off any problems in the future, but this should be done before there is ever a problem. Even those that do not use their unit throughout the year should still get maintenance, and then it’s unlikely that repairs will be needed later if the unit is maintained correctly.

Get furnace or HVAC repair or maintenance from Atlantic Heating and Air Conditioning in Boston, MA at (617) 566-6990.