My Furnace Is Running But The House Is Cold

My furnace is running, but my house is cold, and I can even feel air coming out of the registers.

• The air coming out of the registers is not warm; it feels like room temperature.
• My furnace is running: sometimes the air is warm and other times its not!
• Sometimes the furnace ignites and then goes off in a few seconds.
• My furnace never seems to shut off; it runs and runs.
• I feel warm, but should my furnace continuously run?

These are common heating complaints we hear everyday from homeowners who they call us. You, the homeowner, can solve many of these issues.

Have you changed the furnace filter recently?

The first question we ask homeowners when they call is “Is your furnace filter clean?” Many homeowners say they just changed the filter; however, we have found that 90% of the time the furnace filter wasn’t changed. It’s pretty easy to forget the last time you changed the filter.  Changes in your daily activities like construction, minor home improvements, package deliveries, and holiday events can create more dust and dirt than usual.

Okay, that construction and home improvements create more dust makes sense, but what do package deliveries and holiday events have to do with the furnace filter?  Packages arrive in trucks and may carry a lot of unexpected dust. Holiday ornaments and decorations are retrieved from garages, attics, and basements; they probably haven’t been dusted since they were put away after last year’s holidays. Whatever the source, dust gets carried to your furnace filter.

We always tell homeowners to check or change your furnace filter monthly, and with a marker place the date on the edge exposed to your view.  Remember folks, If your filer is clogged, your furnace will not perform at its peak performance because airflow is obstructed by dirt and debris.

Have you changed the battery in your thermostat?

Many of our service calls involve the thermostat battery. Most digital thermostats have a low battery indicator or say low or low battery. However, if your thermostat does not have that feature, you should change the battery just to see if that is the problem. If a new battery is not the solution, call us.

Is there’s a blinking LED light on the control board?

When your furnace is not working, check for blinking lights through the small hole in the front furnace panel. If you see these blinking lights and pauses, count the blinks until there is a pause, then count the blinks following the pause. Call us with that information so we can solve your problems more quickly.

Is your furnace ignition working?

If your furnace is acting up, go to the furnace and reset the power switch on the side of the furnace or wall. Watch and see if you see a glow of orange; this will indicate that your furnace igniter is OK or not.

A hot surface igniter works similarly to a light bulb with a filament that has two electrical wires which heat the igniter’s surface to the point that it glows orange. Your furnace then blows natural gas close to the igniter which ignites the natural gas or propane. This interns warms the furnace bonnet or heat exchanger; then, the blower blows the heat through your duct work.

There are many other reasons why your furnace is running but your house is cold, see part 2 at a later date.

Thanks Big Ed