Why Is My Furnace Blowing Cold Air In The Winter?
Nothing is more concerning than turning on the furnace and feeling it blowing cold air, especially if there’s freezing weather on the way. Without a working heater, it’s impossible to keep your family warm in the winter. If you’ve found your heater is not blowing hot air, there are several possible root causes. Here are six reasons why your furnace is blowing cold air in the winter.
The furnace needs more time to heat up.
If this is your first time cranking up the heat in several months, the solution might just be a bit of patience! Sometimes, your furnace needs an extra 10 or 15 minutes to warm up after being dormant all summer. Furnaces often require a bit of time to fully wake up and work efficiently. You may even notice a burning smell that should dissipate within several minutes. However, these things are completely normal and should not worry your household.
Your thermostat is set incorrectly or broken.
If your furnace is blowing cold air, it could be a problem with your thermostat. Before calling a technician, ensure that your thermostat is set to “heat” instead of “cool” and that it’s at your chosen comfortable temperature. The ideal indoor temperature in the winter is 68℉ but can vary depending on what’s most comfortable for you.
If your heat isn’t turning on, or your thermostat forgets its programmed settings, it may need to be replaced entirely. You can check if your thermostat is broken by several factors. For example, if your thermostat isn’t connected to power, you won’t be able to change its settings. Plus, your set temperature won’t match the temperature of your home. All thermostat systems need to be replaced at some point, so it’s important to get yours fixed before heavy Minnesota winter storms hit.
The furnace pilot light is out.
If your furnace is not turning on or the heater is blowing cold air, the pilot light might be the source of the problem. The pilot light is the small flame that triggers the ignition of the burner. When your pilot light is out, it typically means that your home isn’t getting an adequate supply of natural gas or that your gas pressure is low. If the pilot light is out, there’s no way to heat the furnace.
Thankfully, this is a quick fix. When you open the door to your furnace, you should be able to peer in and spot a small, glowing flame. If it catches your eye, your pilot light is going strong!
Your pilot light is out if you can’t see the small flame. To safely relight it, you must first switch your furnace off and stop the flow of natural gas. After a few minutes, it will be safe to turn back on and relight with a lighter. Watch the pilot light for a minute or two to ensure it stays lit; if it goes out again, call a local technician to ensure you don’t have a gas leak.
The furnace filter is dirty.
Your furnace may also be blowing cold air if your filters need replacing. If the filters aren’t regularly cleaned and replaced, a dirty filter will likely prevent you from heating your home.
Unfortunately, not only can dirty filters reduce your air quality at home, but they can also permanently damage your furnace. A clogged air filter has difficulty moving the hot air through the air ducts, so the heat builds up in the system and can damage internal components like the fan, pilot light, and other costly parts.
Regular filter cleaning is so essential that we offer Minneapolis customers monthly maintenance plans, including heating, air conditioning, and ventilation inspections and cleanings. This way, they never have to worry about filter clogs or an overheating furnace.
Your home gas supply is weak.
If you have a gas furnace, the natural gas supply from your utility company might weaken at certain times. If there is a high demand for natural gas in your area, your gas supply may be weak. In more urgent cases, this may be caused by a leak in your old gas furnace. These situations won’t just affect your furnace but also the rest of your appliances, such as your stove, hot water heater, or fireplace.
If your home gas supply is weak and your furnace is on but not blowing air, the pilot lights on your heating and appliances are probably not lit. The best solution is to get professional insight into your heating problem. An HVAC technician will inform you about any urgent gas leaks and ensure that your heating system is healthy.
The air ducts are leaking.
In some cases, your furnace may actually be working fine! However, if your heater is blowing cold air, your hot air might be leaking from broken air ducts. Minor defects in old gas furnaces, such as unsealed areas or tears in the ductwork, can lead to efficient home heating. If this is the case, you might notice poor airflow in your home due to heated air leaking into other areas, such as the walls and attic space.
Not only is this keeping your house cold, but it’s wasting your precious money by increasing your utility bills! The best option is to call a technician to repair the ducts. This way, you prevent these broken seals and cracks in the ductwork from worsening. An HVAC specialist has the equipment and trained eye to spot even the smallest air leaks.
Is your furnace not turning on still? Your local HVAC technician can help.
Everyone wants a furnace that they can rely on all throughout the winter. If you’re looking for standard heating and air conditioning services in Minneapolis, our trained technicians at Mike’s Custom Mechanical are ready to jump into action. Please call us at (763) 568-7148 to learn more about how our team can assist you today.
