While we are all eagerly anticipating our brief warm season, the truth is, it is still very much furnace weather here in Ontario.
Plus, now is the time of year when furnaces across the province are starting to feel the burn.
Your furnace has been cycling on and off, on and off, on and off again all winter long….and it has been a LONG winter. So if there was ever a time when you might expect a sudden furnace outage, it would be now.
For many of us, the first warning sign we get is a furnace that is blowing lukewarm or cold air. What is causing this? What should you do to fix it? Read on to find out! Our heating and air conditioning technicians at Shipton’s have the HVAC answers you’re looking for!
6 Reasons Your Furnace Is Blowing Lukewarm or Cool Air
There are a number of factors that can make it literally impossible for your furnace to produce the warm air you have come to expect.
Of all the different variables that might produce furnace malfunctions, these are the top six we see that are directly linked to furnace air temperature issues.
1. Thermostat Malfunction
If your furnace blower motor is the brawn of your HVAC system, the thermostat is its brains.
So it just stands to reason that if the thermostat is malfunctioning for any reason, your furnace won’t know what to do.
Thermostat Power
One of the simplest issues to check is whether the thermostat control panel is receiving power. Is it battery operated? When was the last time you changed the battery?
A new battery might be all the furnace repair you need to get your HVAC operating correctly again.
Thermostat Setting
In the wake of the global pandemic, as we learn more about the importance of increased air ventilation, some people are choosing to run their HVAC fan constantly.
While this can increase fresh air inside your space, it will also run up your power bill and create cool air drafts in between furnace cycling.
A simple fix is to switch the fan from “on” to “auto.”
Thermostat Calibration
Thermostats often need recalibration from time to time.
Recalibration starts with a test to see if thermostat output matches the desired temperature setting. Often, recalibration can restore warm air output from a malfunctioning furnace.
2. Filthy Furnace Filter
The pandemic created a lot of questions about whether and/or how HVAC maintenance might be connected with the spread of COVID-19. This made some people reluctant to change their furnace air filters.
Unfortunately, the longer your furnace cycles on and off without an air filter change or cleaning, the harder your system will have to work to push air through your ducts.
You will also spend more on energy to run your furnace. And your risk of blower motor overheating and home fire increases.
If you do not feel comfortable or safe to change your furnace air filter on your own, your Shipton’s technician is happy to do this for you during your routine preventative furnace maintenance service.
3. Condensate Drain Pipe Is Clogged
As long as your furnace drain line is performing as it is designed to, you may easily forget your unit even has a drain.
But just wait until that drain gets clogged!
Because it usually isn’t so easy to see up into the furnace area and under the unit to the drain pipe and drainage pan, it is important to know that cool air output is one of the early warning signs.
If your furnace has suddenly started blowing lukewarm or cool air, it is time to check out the drain situation without delay. Call our Shipton’s furnace repair technicians today!
4. Pilot Light Problems
Pilot light problems usually stem from one of three causes.
First, the pilot light might have simply gone out. This is most common with older systems that require manual ignition.
Second, the pilot light might be dirty or blocked. The most common cause of blockage is build-up of dirt and/or soot.
Third, the pilot light thermocouple might be malfunctioning. If this is the case, it is definitely time to call your Shipton’s technician in to diagnose the issue and repair or replace the thermocouple.
5. Fuel Connection Problems
It is easy to forget that the pilot light is not the only indicator to examine when your furnace isn’t performing up to your expectations.
If your furnace is not able to receive fuel – be it electric, natural gas or propane – it isn’t going to be able to create warm air.
As with suspected pilot light issues, most people opt to call their Shipton’s heating and air conditioning technician at this stage. It can be nerve-wracking to work with fuel or connectivity issues – we can definitely step in to help you at this point!
6. Ducts Are Leaking
Another less-commonly known reason for a furnace blowing cool or lukewarm air is leaky ducts.
Like air filters and drainage pans, ducts tend to get overlooked in the diagnostic process. They are hard (if not impossible) to see and very difficult to work with.
But over time, gravity, insects, rodents and simply old age can create cracks, leaks and other issues within your ductwork system.
The more air leaks your air ducts develop, the less warm air is going to make it all the way from the blower motor, through the ducts and out into each room of your space.
Luckily, duct patching is very doable. We also recommend considering duct insulation to lower power bills and maximize warm air output.
Call Shiptons for Expert Hamilton, Ontario HVAC Furnace Repair Service
Is your furnace starting to “speak” to you in its own signature language of bangs, whistles and clanks? When your HVAC cycles on, do you get a blast of lukewarm or cool air rather than the warm air you were expecting?
We can help!
Give our friendly and knowledgeable Shipton’s HVAC experts a call at 1-905-549-4616 or visit us online to schedule your HVAC preventative furnace maintenance or furnace repair service.
