3 Reasons Why Your Heater is Blowing Cold Air

The cold air that winter sends your way doesn’t care if your furnace isn’t working properly. It will creep in through your home’s walls, ceilings and floors and send a cold chill all the way down to your bones.

Depending on where you live, a malfunctioning heater might make your St. Michael residence uninhabitable. The good news is that heater problems are quite common, and as long as you hire professionals, you can have any problems fixed in a hurry. A very common problem experienced with heaters is a lack of hot air.

If your household heater is blowing cold air, and you don’t know why, there are several different problems that can come into play.

However, some problems occur much more frequently than others, so it’s useful to know what these problems are and watch for them. There are three major problems that can cause your heater to blow cold air.

Broken Computer Controls

The technology that is used to heat and cool your home has come a long way. In the past, there weren’t many systems to choose from, and the typical furnace used to be very inefficient. These days, most heaters are controlled with computerized controls.

Although these controls make life much easier and give you total control over your heater, they can cause many problems when they break. If your heater is blowing cold air, there is a chance that the system’s computerized controls are causing it.

Many newer heaters come equipped with an electronic control panel. It’s not uncommon for computers to mess up, and when this happens, the computer must be reset. If we find this to be the problem, we’ll use the power switch to turn off your furnace and wait a few minutes.

Next, we’ll switch the heater back on and see if it starts blowing warm air again. Like software programs, the computerized controls that govern a heater might require occasional resetting.

Broken or Dirty Valves

If your heater isn’t blowing warm air when you need it, you might find it difficult to stay comfortable inside of your St. Michael home. A home should be a place where you can relax and get cozy. Most people don’t like being forced to dress in layers while hanging out inside of their home.

If you find that your heater isn’t sending warm air throughout your home, it could be caused by a valve problem. The telltale sign of a faulty valve is a pilot light that won’t seem to ignite.

A malfunctioning gas valve won’t send gas to your pilot light, so it won’t be able to ignite the burners and produce warm air. It might also be possible that your system hasn’t been cleaned in a long time, and debris could be causing a valve to stick.

The best way to solve this problem is to allow us to clean your system. As HVAC professionals, we know exactly how to clean all heater systems and prevent them from blowing cold air.

Dirty Oil Filter

Many homes have an oil-fired furnace. If this is the type of heater that you have in your home, and you can’t get it to blow warm air, then it could have a clogged oil filter.

Over time, all filters can become clogged with debris, and the oil filter is no exception. Once the filter has become clogged, it negatively affects the system’s ignition and prevents it from generating warm air.

It’s best to let HVAC professionals clean or replace the filter. Since it can be extremely dangerous, you should never try to perform your own heater repair work.

Additional Causes

There are several other issues that can cause your heater to blow cold air. It might have a dirty gas or oil burner, which is not uncommon in these types of systems.

If the burner is neglected and doesn’t receive regular maintenance, it will start to have trouble igniting, and eventually, it won’t work at all. Your system might even have a compromised flame sensor, faulty ignition or thermostat problem.

Why Hire Professionals for This Problem

A typical heater has many different components, and if your heater runs on gas, it’s especially dangerous to attempt your own repairs. In fact, many homeowners have been harmed by trying to perform their own heater repairs.

When gas and other dangerous components are involved, it’s best to let us handle the repairs. A malfunctioning heater should always be repaired as quickly as possible. It doesn’t take long for a minor problem to transform into something major.

By having professionals repair your heater as quickly as possible, you can avoid a major spike in your energy bills. A heater that isn’t working properly will use far more energy than it was meant to use, which results in higher utility costs.

Depending on the problem, a malfunctioning furnace could cause your monthly electric bill to increase by several hundred dollars. The correct repairs will allow your heater to breathe and run as efficiently as possible. Safety is another reason to let the professionals handle your heater problems.

When your furnace needs repairs and isn’t operating correctly, it poses a major safety risk. This is especially true if your heater runs on gas. If your heater has a minor gas leak, it can have catastrophic consequences.

A natural gas leak can be ignited by the tiniest spark, and depending on how long the gas has been leaking, it could cause your entire home to explode. In another scenario, neglecting to have your heater repaired could result in your home catching on fire. One of the greatest benefits of letting professionals repair your heater is the increased lifespan that you’ll get from your heater.

Proper repair work can significantly increase the lifespan of your heater and ensure the warranty remains valid. These are three common reasons why heaters start blowing nothing but cold air. If your heater is experiencing this problem, you need to let us fix it as soon as possible.

For quality services in your St. Michael, MN home, call B & D Plumbing, Heating & A/C at (763) 497-2290.