Why Is My Heater Blowing Cold Air?

While the Coachella Valley and Riverside, California areas’ weather can go up to 107°F, the cold weather is often discomforting. At night when the temperature drops, most homes depend on their HVAC to provide warmth, and it’s disturbing to have your heater blowing cold air!

For almost four months of the year, starting in late November to mid-March, the Coachella Valley area’s temperatures can be as low as 43°F.

During such wintry times, HVACs are lifesavers! They provide needed comfort in the hottest and coldest of seasons. However, you should be concerned when your heater is blowing cold air, instead of warm, in winter.

At Anthem, a professional heating and air conditioning company, our priority is your comfort. This article will guide you through what to do if your furnace is blowing cold air when you need warmth.

Why cold instead of warm air?

If only there was a straight answer to this simple question. However, when dealing with HVAC, there are several possible causes. The answer could run from a simple energy connectivity issue to more complex, technical problems.

Let’s start with the easy causes. These could be anywhere from utility to thermostat setting issues.

Utility Crises

The first place to look when your heater is blowing cold air is your electrical connection.

Make sure you are current on your utility bill payments. You can call your energy company for confirmation if in doubt.

If you are in good standing with your payment, you can request your energy company to confirm everything is okay. Sometimes, you are experiencing cold air because there is no connection. However, if otherwise, pay up and get connected; case closed!

Thermostat Settings

Living in a climate with the high end of hot weather, Coachella Valley and Riverside, California, homes often need air conditioning to keep going. Perhaps, your thermostat setting is on air-conditioning and not on heat. Try checking your thermostat setting and confirm the actual position.

Another related thermostat issue is you could have turned on the cold air by mistake. Given the sophistication of HVAC, it is possible to change settings unknowingly. You need to take a second look at your thermostat to confirm it’s not the cause of the cold air.

Fan Problems

A fan issue is sometimes thermostat-related. From experience, some users accidentally switch off the fan and get worried their heater is blowing cold air.

Also, you may have turned off the fan during summer since you don’t need it as such and forget to turn it back on in winter. 

Whatever the case, a careful check of your thermostat could help you discover the error and make it right. One way to avoid this error is to use the auto setting, and the system will auto-switch as needed.

Clogged Filter

A minor problem resulting in a bigger one is a case of a clogged filter. If your filter is obstructed, it can block air passage, whether cold or hot. A way to know if your filter is responsible for cold air is to swap the filter to see any difference.

Tripped Breaker

Another problem that is likely is the circuit breaker. A tripped breaker would shut off the electricity supply and stop the heater from starting. Sometimes, your heater may not run, and in some cases, the system would work partially.

Now, let’s consider the technical causes.

While you could DIY the easy causes, you need a competent HVAC professional to troubleshoot the technical ones. The reason to have a technician check your HVAC is to prevent more damages from happening.

Once the easy causes are isolated, let your HVAC technician investigate other possible causes. Some of the technical reasons your heater is blowing cold air are as follows:

Pilot Light Out

For older furnaces, the pilot light in the off state could cause your heater to blow cold air. Without the pilot light turned on, the heat won’t come through. Though your safety manual gives details on accessing the pilot light, you should allow a competent HVAC technician to handle it. 

However, the pilot light may not be the problem if your HVAC is less than a decade old.

Dirty Sensor

The flame sensor tells your furnace to turn on or off. It detects hot air and keeps it coming if you have set your thermostat to hot air. However, a dirty sensor could malfunction and cause your HVAC to blow cold air instead.

Again, you should call your HVAC technician to troubleshoot a possible dirty sensor and fix it.

Clogged Condensate Line

The high-efficiency heater comes with condensate lines responsible for keeping water away from your furnace. Your furnace might not ignite if the condensate lines are clogged. Once ignition fails, there won’t be hot air through the vents.

In the case of clogged condensate lines, you need your HVAC technician to detect and fix them.

Gas Supply Issue

In the case of gas supply, you need your HVAC technician to troubleshoot and resolve it. One way to detect gas supply issues is with the pilot light. If the light goes out instantly or does not come on at all, it could be a gas-related problem.

If gas supply is the reason for blowing cold air, your HVAC technician can detect and resolve it appropriately.

Leaky Air Ducts 

All incoming hot air escapes before getting to the vent if you have leaky air ducts. Age and rodent bites could cause your air ducts to leak. A thorough inspection of the lines would reveal likely leakages. 

If leaking air ducts are the case, your technician will seal the area and restore hot air. 

Are you having issues with your heater in wintry weather?

If you live in the Coachella Valley and Riverside, California, areas and have issues with your heater blowing cold air, call Anthem Heating and Air Conditioning immediately. 

Why Anthem?

Your comfort is the reason you installed an HVAC. Anthem is in business to help you achieve your goal and keep you happy always.

Call (760) 895-2621 now and let reliable Heating and Air Conditioning professionals make your HVAC work again.