When it’s time to turn up the heat in your Dallas, Texas home, you should expect that warm air will move through the vents and increase the indoor temperature. The last thing you want to find is that the furnace is not heating or even worse, the furnace is blowing cold air! When it starts getting chilly outside, having a heater that is not working is a major cause of concern. Even if your furnace is newer, things can still go wrong to cause this unpleasant surprise. In some cases, you may be able to fix the problem yourself. But you need to know when to call in the furnace repair professionals, so you don’t have to spend unnecessary time in the cold.
There are several reasons that can cause your heater to blow cold air, but there are a few things you can check before you call a professional for furnace repair. Here is a guideline to help you troubleshoot your heater blowing cold air.
Thermostat settings
If you find that your heater isn’t producing warm air, check the thermostat. Maybe your heater is not blowing hot air even though the fan is running. Ensure that the thermostat fan setting is switched to AUTO from ON. If your thermostat fan is set to ON this means the fan will run continuously without providing heat. Change the setting back to AUTO, and you’ll have heat again.
Pilot light or ignition problem
If your gas furnace seems incapable of blowing hot air, the problem could be with the ignition system. In this case, your heater is not lighting the fuel, which means it cannot heat your home. Newer units typically have electronic pilot lights that cannot go out, but if your furnace is more than a decade old, this is one thing to check. If you can get to the pilot light safely, consult your owner’s manual to determine how to light it. But if you find that the pilot light will not stay lit, it is best to call Xtreme Air Services for professional furnace repair.
Check your air filter
Another furnace problem that could impact the temperature of the air coming through your HVAC system is a clogged or dirty filter. If your furnace overheats, it could end up blowing cold air. In such cases, a safety control device known as the limit switch will shut off the burners. However, the fan will keep running, cooling the furnace to protect it from potential damage. Overheating will almost always occur due to restricted airflow, and this is often caused by a dirty air filter. Restricting airflow into the furnace means that the unit will run a lot longer and much harder to provide adequate heat, as a result of which it will overheat. Once you’ve made the change to a clean air filter, check to see whether your heater is blowing warm air.
Dirty Flame Sensor
A flame sensor is a component within your furnace that determines whether the burner is producing warmth and aids in heating the air as it moves through the ducts. If your furnace blows cold air, try turning the heating unit off and on. If the air feels warm for a minute or two, then switches to cold, it may be that the flame sensor is dirty. If your unit has a dirty flame sensor, your gas burner won’t stay lit, causing the air to go cold soon after the furnace turns on. Do not attempt to clean it yourself; instead call a professional HVAC tech to handle the job. The cleaning process involves opening the gas burner and accessing the flame sensor; trying to take these areas apart yourself could result in severe damage to your unit.
Leaking ducts
Your furnace blowing cold air could be caused by hot air escaping through holes in the duct work that carries the heat throughout your home. Have an expert inspect your ducts along with the furnace.
Regular maintenance can prevent HVAC problems like your furnace blowing cold air. Many of the causes of furnace problems can be prevented with regularly scheduled cleaning and maintenance. If you haven’t done that yet this winter, call Xtreme Air Services and learn more about our Preventative Maintenance Program. This is an affordable annual program that includes regularly scheduled maintenance visits throughout the year. We will perform a Spring Air Conditioner tune-up, followed by a heater tune-up in the fall, and plumbing & home exterior inspections scheduled at your convenience. There’s no need to remember anything, we keep track of everything and notify you in advance when it’s time to schedule our next visit. Call Today, Service Today – (972) 288-2263
