In the cold season, we rely on our home heating systems to keep every room warm. Unfortunately, sometimes these systems develop problems and fail to perform as required. One of the most common issues with heaters is blowing cold air. When this happens, the cold winter season becomes practically unbearable.

So, as a homeowner, you need to understand how your heater works and what happens when it starts to blow cold air. In this article, we will tell you why your heating system is blowing cold air.

Needs Time to Warm Up

If you’ve just turned your heater on or increased the temperature, your heating system needs more time to warm up. You need to give it time to run for a few minutes before you can conclusively say it is blowing cold air. If the situation doesn’t improve after 5-10 minutes, have your system inspected by an HVAC professional.

Check Your Thermostat Settings

Sometimes heaters blow cold air because the thermostat is set at very low levels. If you live with other people in the house, ask them if they have adjusted the thermostat. People have different comfort levels when it comes to setting indoor temperatures. Others will adjust the thermostat downwards to reduce utility costs.

Defective Thermostat

If the problem persists, you should check your thermostat for defects. For instance, if your thermostat is on but not set on “Auto,” the heating system will run continuously even when it is on the heat cycle. In that case, your system will continue to blow cold air. To fix this problem, you just need to adjust your thermostat. If you are using a programmable thermostat, make sure it is properly programmed. And if your thermostat is running on batteries, make sure they have enough charge.

Check Your Heat Pump

If you have a heat pump, make sure it is not frozen or covered by the drifting snow. If this is the case, you just need to get rid of the snow. Other causes of a faulty heat pump include defective valves, damaged metering devices, and low refrigerant. Unfortunately, most of these issues can only be fixed by an experienced HVAC expert.

Tripped Breaker

If your electric heating system has a tripped breaker, it won’t circulate enough heat across your house. Sometimes the system stops working completely. Even if your heater uses gas, check its electric starter to ensure that the gas burner ignites properly to supply your home with enough heat.