It goes without saying that in our area, we rely quite heavily on our furnaces to keep our families warm and toasty all season long. So of course, if yours stops blowing warm air, it’s a cause for alarm. The last thing you need when temperatures drop into the ’30s and below is another air conditioner.
There are a variety of reasons that your heating system may be blowing cold or cool air, which we’ll get to below. Read on to discover what might be going on, and be sure to reach out to our team if you need repair!
Thermostat Problems
The good news is, you might not have a problem with your heater at all, but instead a problem with the thermostat. We call this good news because thermostat related malfunctions, repairs, or even upgrades are a lot less costly and inconvenient than repairing or replacing any other component of your heater—including the heater itself.
The thermostat might be miscalibrated, improperly reading the temperature of your home, or might have even been set to a lower temperature by someone with different heating preferences than you in your household.
Be sure to check that the thermostat is set to where you want it and that it’s on “auto” instead of “on,” so the fan won’t just keep blowing continuously even when hot air isn’t coming out.
A Clogged Air Filter
There’s a common misconception among homeowners that the furnace or heat pump’s air filter is in place to protect their indoor air quality. But actually, that air filter is there to protect the inside components of the heating system itself from dust, dirt, and other debris that can settle on its interior components and cause its performance to decline.
When an air filter becomes too clogged up, it restricts airflow into the furnace and can cause it to overheat. The system will likely shut down as a safety measure in this case, but in many scenarios, the fan will continue to run, and therefore blow out what feels like lukewarm or even cold air.
Broken Heating Element
If any of the elements responsible for actually heating the air coming from your furnace are broken, then you can very well expect cool air to come flowing out of the vents. A professional HVAC technician will inspect each element of your furnace to pinpoint the source of the problem.
Damaged Ductwork
Did you know you could lose up to 30% of the conditioned air from your forced-air heater and air conditioner due to ductwork damage? Duct breaches allow that air to escape into unoccupied spaces like your attic or crawlspace. As a result, one or more vents in your home won’t actually receive the heated air from your furnace or heat pump, and you’ll notice cold spots throughout your home.
If you suspect damaged ductwork in your household, please contact us right away so we can professionally test your ducts, while sealing or repairing them as needed.
Contact us today for furnace service in Plainfield, IL. Comfort First Heating and Cooling, Inc., where we put your comfort first!