With the arrival of damp, chilly autumn air, many people are turning on their heaters for the first time in months. But what if, to your surprise and horror, cold air is blowing out the vents rather than warm air? Before you start worrying about major repairs on needing a new furnace, there are three simple fixes you can troubleshoot.

1. Check your thermostat’s settings. Is your thermostat set to “on” rather than “auto?” When set to “on,” the furnace fan is continually blowing, even when the furnace isn’t actually emitting heat. Therefore the air that blows out of the vents while the furnace is off feels cold, although it may only be room temperature. Changing your thermostat setting to “auto” will quickly resolve the issue.
2. The pilot light is out. A pilot light is a small flame that is constantly lit within your furnace, always on standby to light the furnace when you turn on the heat. If the pilot light is out, you can try relighting it by following the instructions in your furnace’s manual. (If you are not comfortable trying to relight the pilot, your Delaware heating repair technician is happy to assist.) If the pilot won’t light, the gas supply to your furnace may be interrupted, causing your furnace to lock down for safety. Check that the gas valve supply is open and that the pilot light isn’t clogged or dirty.
3. The furnace has overheated. Your furnace contains a safety device called a limit switch that shuts off the burners if the unit becomes too hot. However, the blowers stay running to cool the furnace before shutting down, pushing cool air through the vents. The most common cause of an overheated furnace is a dirty air filter. Dirty filters block air flow, causing the furnace to run longer and thus overheat. Be sure to check and change your furnace air filter regularly to prevent overheating.

If you’ve tried troubleshooting the above causes and are still experiencing cold air from your vents, it’s time to call your Delaware HVAC repair technician. They can get to the root of your problem quickly, whether it’s electronic components or a failure in a burner or heat exchanger, and repair it swiftly and efficiently.

Gold Star: Professional, Quality Heating Repairs in Delaware

The best way to prevent furnace problems is with a heater check-up from your Delaware HVAC technician. Regular maintenance is critical to the health of your HVAC system, as well as helping to avoid emergency repairs. Gold Star is the #1 HVAC repair company in Delaware. Call us today at 1-302-947-8694 for all your Delaware heating needs.