Originally Posted On: What Should You Do If Your Furnace Is Not Blowing Hot Air? – Air Force A/C and Heating (airforceairconditioningandheating.com)

 

Furnace not blowing hot air? This might be one of the most frustrating problems that you’ll ever face as a homeowner.

When your furnace isn’t working the way it’s supposed to, it’s not going to be long before your whole house feels much colder than it should. It’ll make you and your family uncomfortable, and in extreme situations, it could even force you to leave your home to go and stay somewhere else for a little while.

Fortunately, it shouldn’t be too difficult to figure out why a furnace is not blowing hot air. You might be able to do it yourself, or you might be able to bring in an HVAC repair specialist to help. Either way, you should be able to get to the bottom of your heater problems in no time at all.

Here are some of the things you should do when you have a furnace not blowing hot air on your hands.

 

Start by Seeing If Your Thermostat Might Be to Blame

When you have a furnace not blowing hot air, it might not automatically mean that there is something wrong with your furnace. Instead, you could very well be experiencing thermostat issues that are causing cold air to come through the vents in your home.

In some instances, your thermostat might not be set to the right temperature. You can get your furnace to start blowing hot air again simply by adjusting the thermostat accordingly.

In other cases, you may have used your thermostat to turn your HVAC system’s fan on. This will result in your HVAC system sending air out throughout your home at all times even when your furnace isn’t up and running. This air won’t always be as warm as it usually is when you have the furnace going.

There are also times when something as simple as a low battery in your thermostat can affect your entire HVAC system. Replacing the battery in it could remedy the situation that you’re facing in a hurry.

 

Find Out If Your Furnace Needs a New Filter

When is the last time that you replaced your furnace filter? If you can’t remember, that usually means that it’s been entirely too long since the last time that you did it!

Using an old filter in your furnace can be very bad for it. It can make it hard for your HVAC system to get the air that it needs to create warm air for your home.

You can fix this problem by taking your old furnace filter out and replacing it with a new one. You should then make it a point to try and replace this filter at least once every 3 months to prevent it from getting clogged up with dirt, dust, and other debris again.

 

Check to See If Your Furnace Is Overheating

If you don’t replace your furnace filter on a regular basis, it’s going to result in your furnace overheating early and often. And when your furnace is overheating, it can put a real strain on the high limit switch in your furnace.

The high limit switch in your furnace is a very important component, as it’s responsible for serving as the “brain” of your entire HVAC system. Without it, your furnace is going to stop producing warm air altogether, and it might also conk out on you completely.

If you sense that your furnace is overheating, you’re going to need to do something about it ASAP. It’s a good idea to bring an HVAC technician on board to deal with this particular problem.

 

Make Sure Your Furnace Is Getting the Gas or Oil It Needs

Most homes have either gas-powered or oil-powered furnaces in them. You should be familiar with what kind of furnace you have in your house so that you know whether or not your furnace is getting access to the fuel that it needs.

If, for example, you have a gas-powered furnace, you’ll want to make sure that the gas supply valve is always open when it’s turned on. Opening this valve is going to ensure that your furnace gets the gas it needs to run.

If you have an oil-powered furnace, you’ll want to make sure that you always have enough oil on hand to keep it running. The second you run out, your furnace is going to stop working as intended and leave you with a lack of hot air in your home.

 

Take a Look at the Pilot Light in Your Furnace

Those who have gas-powered furnaces in their homes will have pilot lights in these furnaces that are used to ignite the gas coming into them when they’re turned on. These pilot lights can sometimes go out for one reason or another and cause complications.

Your pilot light might go out when you’re having work done on your HVAC system. It might also go out if you walk by your furnace quickly and create a breeze.

Whatever the case, you should always take a look at the pilot light in your furnace when you have a furnace not blowing hot air. You might have to relight your pilot light at some point to get your furnace going again.

 

Inspect the Ductwork That Is Connected to Your Furnace

Your furnace might be working just fine at the moment. But if the ductwork that is used to transport the warm air that it creates is filled with gaps and holes, it could stop your furnace from heating your home up.

Homeowners should get into the habit of inspecting their ductwork every now and then. If you find that there are any gaps or holes in it, you’re going to want to have your ductwork repaired or replaced. It’ll get warm air flowing through them again without a problem.

 

Call Us for Help When You Have a Furnace Not Blowing Hot Air

Dealing with a furnace not blowing hot air is no fun. It can be very challenging trying to pinpoint what the specific problem with it is.

If you can’t seem to figure out what’s going on with your furnace right now, we would love to lend a helping hand to you. We can find out why your furnace is not blowing hot air and fix whatever might be wrong with it.

Contact us to schedule an appointment with an experienced HVAC technician.