Emergency Furnace Repair: How to Diagnose a Chilly Home in Minutes

There are some days that just turn into nightmares. Imagine a cold, blustery winter day, and you wake up or come home to a home that is unexpectedly cold. The furnace is running, but when you feel the air blowing out of the vents, the air is cool—at least not warm enough to make a difference. What now? Why is your furnace blowing cold air?

Immediately, you have ruled out several problems:

• If the furnace is on, the main power is not off.
• If the furnace is blowing air for long periods of time, it is probably not an issue with the gas, ignition system, or burner assembly, since the problems will shut the furnace off and not let it continue to run.

So, let’s do a simple furnace repair investigation and see what other problems can be ruled out.

Check the Thermostat First

The thermostat is the ON/OFF switch for the furnace, so check the settings here first.

• There are some winter days in the area that might require both AC and heat. Did someone forget to switch it back to heat mode? Make sure the setting is turned to Heat or EM(emergency) Heat.
• Do you have a heat pump? If so, what is the temperature outdoors? If the outdoor temperature is lower than 35 degrees, switch the setting from Heat (heat pump) to EM Heat (electric heat), since the heat pump is struggling to warm the home. The electric heating element should bring the home to the desired temperature.
• Check the temperature setting; it should be several degrees above room temperature. Raise the temperature setting a few degrees to see if this makes a difference.
• Check the fan setting. Normally, the fan setting is on Auto, meaning the fan will only run during a heating cycle. A fan in the ON setting will run continuously, an energy saving measure, but if the home is cold, turn the Fan setting to Auto.

Check the Air Filter

This is so easy to do, but so often forgotten.

• The air filter collects dust, pollen, dander, and a whole host of other airborne contaminants.
• When the air filter surface is covered, it needs to be changed. Do this at least once per quarter.
• A dirty, clogged filter can restrict airflow, resulting in insufficient warm air moving into the home.
• Change the filter and the home should begin to warm immediately.

Various Issues

If these simple furnace repair investigations do not result in warmer temperatures indoors, make a call to Doctor Cool & Professor Heat, and schedule an emergency furnace repair visit. While waiting, check a few more problem sites. If the fan continues to blow but the rooms do not warm up properly,

• Check the air from several vents around the home. Are some warmer than others? This may indicate a break or blockage of certain ducts. Identifying warm and cold spaces can help the technician locate the problem ductwork.
• Check the air handler cabinet, looking for a couple of circuit breakers. The breaker that governs the furnace circuit is on at the electrical service panel, but one of these breakers might have tripped. If one breaker has tripped and the fan continues to blow, the breaker that governs the heating element has tripped. Turning the breaker all the way off, then ON may allow the furnace to produce warm air. It might also trip again immediately. If so, leave it OFF. If it does not trip and produces warm air, bring this to the attention of the technician. Something caused it to trip and this issue will need to be investigated by a trained Doctor Cool and Professor Heat furnace repair technician.

Expert Furnace Repair is Just a Call Away

Don’t let a chilly house turn into a winter nightmare when professional help is right around the corner. If your troubleshooting steps haven’t restored the warmth, it’s time to seek a reliable furnace repair solution from the experts who know your system best. Call Doctor Cool and Professor Heat today to schedule your furnace repair appointment and ensure your family stays cozy all season long. Our dedicated technicians are standing by to provide the fast, friendly service you need to get your home back to the perfect temperature.