Why is My Heater Blowing Cold Air?

On a chilly day, you look forward to the warmth provided by your heating system. It can be startling to encounter cold air coming from your vents. You can take some preliminary steps to evaluate the situation before you contact your heating professional to come out and answer the question, “Why is my heater blowing cold air?”

Temperature Settings and Fuel Supply

The first stop is at your thermostat. Make sure that it is properly set for heating your home and that the temperature setting is appropriate. If the settings seem to be correct, you can try turning your thermostat off and on again to see if this prompts action. It’s also worthwhile to test your thermostat batteries if you have a digital unit. A failure of the batteries could lead to unpredictable system performance.

If you have eliminated this source of concern, you can move on to verifying that your gas supply hasn’t been interrupted. If you have a gas-operated stove, you can check to see if a burner ignites. This should alert you if there has been an outage or disconnect. Contact your utility company for more information in this case.

If gas is still available to your property, you may want to verify that the pilot is lit. You can also check to be sure that the valve to your furnace hasn’t been shut off. You may need to press a reset button for a modern pilot. If you aren’t sure about proper protocol for lighting your pilot, you should consult your owner’s manual or talk to your HVAC company about the procedure. You should also verify that your heater filter isn’t excessively dirty. Additionally, look for open panels, shutting any that may seem to be out of place. At times, sensors can be affected by very simple issues, and you may be able to forego a costly repair visit.

Contact Your HVAC Contractor

Your urgency in contacting your heating professional may be affected by the severity of the current weather conditions. If the issue arises during a serious cold snap or blizzard, for example, a lack of heat may affect your family’s safety. Brennan’s Heating & Air Conditioning provides 24-hour emergency repair services to the Fairfax, VA community, enabling you to get assistance quickly in the midst of severe conditions. Make sure that your household members are safe as you wait for your technician to arrive. Our service vehicles are ready to move in dealing with urgent heating system failures during the heart of winter.

Prioritizing System Maintenance

Brennan’s Heating & Air Conditioning offers maintenance agreements that allow you to have your system optimized before the cold temperatures arrive. In addition to having your furnace thoroughly evaluated for cleaning and repair needs, you can benefit from repair and replacement savings that may occur later in the heating season. While we can’t eliminate every possible problem, we can help you to enjoy optimized heater performance and lower energy bills. You can contact our Fairfax, VA team to schedule repairs or arrange for a tune-up.