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Having a furnace that is blowing cold air can lead to you losing money and, even worse, you might start shivering inside your home and feel extremely uncomfortable. This is especially stressful if you live in a country largely characterized by a colder climate and freezing temperatures.
A broken furnace is a frustrating situation that can make your life and the life of your loved ones difficult.
This is one of the most common problems homeowners face but fortunately, there are ways to prevent it. By understanding why it’s happening, you’ll avoid finding yourself in this terrible situation again.
Read below to find out the 4 possible reasons why your furnace is blowing cold air instead of heat.
The Thermostat Has the Wrong Settings
Thermostats enable us to feel relaxed and comfortable. However, they can run into certain issues at some point. If your furnace blows cold air instead of hot, chances are high that the thermostat is set incorrectly. Fortunately, this type of problem usually takes seconds to get fixed.
As the seasons are changing, it’s very easy to get your thermostat’s settings messed up. This is particularly true when winter comes which is when the furnace is turned on for the first time. If you notice that the heater is blowing cold air, check the setting on the thermostat as, even though it’s unlikely, you might have forgotten to switch to the ‘heat’ position.
When you look at the thermostat settings, make sure the switch is in the ‘Auto’ position. If the ‘on’ setting is turned on, the furnace’s fan will continue to blow air even when the unit is off and this can cause issues. To ensure that the system functions well, ensure that the thermostat is set to ‘auto’. Depending on the settings of the thermostat, the furnace will come on at the same time as the fan, which is an eco-friendly way to stay comfortable during cold days.
Faulty Circuit Control Board
Sometimes, the problem can be found in the circuit control board. The furnace’s circuit control board can be described as the brain of the furnace, conveying instruction to its different components. When the circuit control board receives the heating cycle command from the thermostat, it automatically sends out a signal for the furnace blower and burner to be turned on. If the circuit control board has a malfunction, it could turn the furnace blower on but not the furnace burners.
So if your furnace fails to blow hot air, it could be due to a faulty circuit control board not turning on the burners to heat the air. There are many reasons why a circuit board could fail and if you don’t know what the exact problem is, you should call a professional to check it out.
However, you must hire a professional to avoid additional damage. For instance, if you live in Ottawa, Canada, search for the best HVAC companies Ottawa has to offer to help you make your home feel comfortable. Doing your research before hiring a specialist will help you avoid the risks of permanent damage to your circuit control board.
A Dirty Furnace Filter
Another reason why your furnace is blowing cold air is that there might be a lack of cleaning and maintenance. Air filters tend to catch a lot of dust and debris in the living space and they should be changed regularly.
A clogged air filter leads to limited airflow to the furnace and could cause it to overheat and shut down. In this type of situation, the only thing you’ll end up getting is cold air. This is something you can check and control yourself, just make sure that the furnace is turned off before checking and removing the filter from the air handler.
A simple low-cost maintenance tip of changing the filter every 90 days can prevent your furnace’s heat exchanger from getting damaged. If you fail to do so and it does get damaged, know that it will be a very costly furnace repair bill.
Gas Supply Problem
If the pilot light is going out all of a sudden or fails to light at all, there might be an issue with the gas supply. However, don’t panic as furnaces are usually designed to turn off if there’s a problem with the gas supply. This isn’t something that you can handle on your own so call a professional to help you out.
Final Thoughts
If you’ve been dealing with a furnace that’s blowing cold air, it’s good to know the possible reasons why this is happening and fix the problem quickly. If not, you’ll at least know when it’s time to contact an HVAC tech for assistance.
