Picture this: The holiday season is quickly approaching and there are many things on your to-do list. Family gatherings, holiday parties, and gingerbread house-making are all planned, but you notice your home is colder than it should be. Your furnace is blowing cold air, and you can already feel yourself waking up to a runny nose.
Your furnace plays a large behind-the-scenes role in all your holiday activities, and it is important to ensure it is working properly. We are here to help avoid uncomfortable situations and quickly resolve your issue. In this blog, we will discuss why your furnace may be blowing cold air in Dayton.
How Do Furnaces Work?
If you sometimes feel clueless about the way your furnace heats your home, we promise you aren’t alone! However, understanding the heating process can help you identify the source of any issues. Depending on the furnace, it uses propane or natural gas to ignite in the burner. The heat then warms up the heat exchanger and then transfers the heat onto cold incoming air. Finally, the blower pushes the heat into the ductwork to be distributed throughout your home.
Common Furnace-Related Problems
If your furnace is malfunctioning, it could be due to a variety of reasons. Below are five of the most common furnace-related problems that might explain why yours is blowing cold air.
- The Pilot Light Is Out
- Your Thermostat Is Broken
- Faulty Circuit Control
- Your Furnace Is Lacking Fuel
- You Have a Dirty Air Filter
The Pilot Light Is Out
A pilot light is a small gas light that is usually located near the bottom of the furnace and has a gas valve with on, off, and pilot settings. It is constantly burning to start a bigger burner, such as a furnace. This light can be turned off when there is a draft, a dirty valve, or a defective thermocouple which is a safety device that shuts off gas when no pilot light is detected. Older units (typically 20 years or older) have a pilot light while newer units might not have this function. If your house contains an older unit, you might want to check if its pilot light is turned on. Most homeowners decide to contact an experienced technician to check if their unit’s pilot light is turned on.
Your Thermostat Is Broken
When your home reaches the temperature, you selected to begin the heating cycle, your HVAC system is notified to turn on the heat. Once the heating cycle is activated, the thermostat transmits a signal to the circuit control board, which can be found inside your furnace. This involves turning on the furnace blower and burner, which is where issues may arise. If your furnace is blowing cool air, the thermostat may be giving the signal to turn on the blower motor but not the burner. Unless the burners are turned on, the air pumped into your home will not be heated.
Faulty Circuit Control
The circuit control board of your furnace acts as the furnace’s brain, transmitting orders to its many components. When the circuit control board gets a heating cycle order from the thermostat, it sends signals to the furnace blower and furnace burner to switch them on. If the circuit control board fails, it may turn on the furnace blower but not the furnace burners. If your furnace isn’t blowing hot air, it might be because the circuit control board isn’t activating the burners to heat the air. Some other reasons that might lead to a faulty circuit control include:
- Lack of regular maintenance
- The circuit control is dirty
- Your furnace is leaking water onto the circuit control
Your Furnace Is Lacking Fuel
Another common reason why your furnace is blowing cold air might be due to a problem with its gas supply. It is possible that the gas valve is broken, or you simply need to refill your tank. If you use propane instead of natural gas, your gas supply will eventually run out and you will have to periodically refill it to keep your home warm.
You Have a Dirty Air Filter
Did you know you have to change your furnace filters along with the ones in your home? For your furnace to function properly, the air filter must be periodically cleaned out. A clogged air filter prevents air from blowing through the furnace and increases the temperature. If the unit becomes too hot, this can limit the switch stops heating cycles. Your furnace filter is located in the blower compartment, which is typically on the bottom half of your furnace. Most HVAC technicians recommend homeowners clean their air filters every 30 to 90 days to prevent issues like this one.
Schedule Service Today
Universal Heating & Cooling is here to help with any furnace issues you may be experiencing in your home. We know that getting through the holiday season with a broken heater is the last thing anyone would want to do. Give us a call today to schedule furnace repair in Dayton with one of our expert technicians!