You count on the furnace to keep your home cozy and warm when our Georgia coast nights turn chilly, so the last thing you want to experience is an unexpected icy blast from your heating registers. There are many reasons why a furnace blows cold air. Some of the most common causes are surprisingly simple, while others require the help of an HVAC pro to sort out.
- It’s only a matter of time. Just as it takes a few seconds for the hot water to arrive when you turn on a tap, it’s completely normal to experience a few moments of cold air before you’ll feel any warmth coming out of your heating registers.
- You haven’t switched your fan setting to “auto.” Adjusting the thermostat setting from “on” to “auto” is one small step that’s easy to miss when you transition from cooling to heating. When it’s in the “on” position, your fan will run continuously. When you switch it to “auto,” the fan will only come on while your furnace is running.
- The pilot light has gone out. If your older furnace blows cold air, it may have a pilot light that’s gone out. If you’re comfortable doing so, just follow the manufacturer’s instructions on how to re-light it safely. If it won’t stay lit, it may need some routine attention from your HVAC professional.
- The flame sensor needs to be cleaned. If you’re getting warm air from your registers when your furnace cycles on, but then it quickly goes cold, this could be the problem. When the flame sensor is dirty, the gas burner won’t stay lit, and you’ll need to schedule a service call.
- There’s a more technical problem. If your gas furnace blows cold air, and you haven’t identified one of the above common reasons as the cause, it’s likely caused by an issue that your HVAC tech can easily address, such as a malfunctioning circuit board or a faulty igniter.
If the furnace in your Savannah area home is blowing cold air and you need assistance, contact us at Byrd Heating and Air Conditioning.