Winter can be a dangerous season, especially when your body is exposed to extremely cold weather. The cold can directly impact your health. Frostbite and hypothermia are two of the most common effects of exposure to frosty weather. It can also aggravate certain respiratory illnesses such as asthma, emphysema, and chronic bronchitis.
The World Health Organization states that the ideal temperature should be no lower than 64 degrees Fahrenheit. If you have children and elderly people in your home, you are advised to set the thermostat at around 70 degrees to keep them comfortably warm.
Having a working furnace during cold days and nights is essential to keep everyone in your family safe and comfortable. But there are times when your furnace acts up and fails to heat your home.
Marsh Heating and Air Conditioning is your preferred heating company in Richfield MN. We can help you identify the reasons for your furnace’s malfunction and put everything in order.
Here are some of the reasons your furnace blows cold air.
Filters
Clogged filters are a primary source of heating problems. The accumulated dust and debris in your filters restrict airflow, which adds pressure to your furnace. When this happens, your furnace needs to work harder to compensate for the lack of airflow. As a result, your heating system uses more energy to heat your home. Keeping your furnace filters clean keeps the system in great shape, giving you comfort and peace of mind.
Thermostat
Some heating issues can be traced back to your thermostat. If you have an old thermostat, check the batteries. Weak or dead batteries can cause poor performance from your thermostat. Replace the batteries as needed.
Make sure your thermostat is set to “HEAT” and not “COOL” and the fan to “AUTO”. Then, check if the thermostat is set to a temperature high enough to prompt the furnace to generate heat.
Determine if the internal parts of the thermostat are clean and make sure that the thermostat box is level and away from heat-generating appliances or direct sunlight.
Ducts
Your ductwork is one of the most important parts of your home’s heating system as it transports heated air from the furnace to your living space. If the ducts have poor sealing or insulation, they let the heated air escape, causing you to have no heat.
Leaky ducts cause several heating issues that include:
* Higher energy bills
* Buildup of debris in your system, causing your furnace to overheat
* Compromised indoor air quality
* Hot and cold spots in your home
If your ducts have even small openings such as cracks, they may pick up cold air that mixes with heated air. If the damage to the ducts is heavy, they may lose the heated air altogether.
Electrical Panel
Even if you have a gas-fired unit, your furnace still needs electricity to work. Simple issues such as a tripped breaker inside your electrical panel can cause many issues, including your furnace failing to release warm air. It can also lead to a pilot light malfunction. A tripped circuit breaker can cause your furnace to not turn on at all. These issues are just some of the reasons why your heating system fails to perform its job.
Check the furnace and surrounding walls for another switch or circuit breaker and ensure that it is turned on. If any of these switches and breakers are turned off, turn them on and allow your system to run. If your circuit breakers keep on tripping, then this could indicate a problem with your home’s electrical system. It’s best to call a professional electrician or your trusted HVAC technician to fix the problem.
Restore Your Comfort with Marsh Heating and Air Conditioning
If simple troubleshooting steps don’t seem to work, it could mean there’s a more serious problem that causes the furnace to fail to release warm air. For the hassle-free restoration of your home comfort, give us a call. We are your reliable Bloomington furnace repair contractor.