Why Your Furnace Is Blowing Cold Air After a Power Outage

If your furnace stops producing warm air, don't panic! Call Premier Systems at (406) 823-3602 for top-quality heating services in Helena, Montana. 

Power outages can wreak havoc on your home’s heating system and prevent your furnace from producing warm air after the blackout passes. Without a functioning furnace, you can’t keep your residence warm during Montana’s chilly winter season, making it nearly impossible to live comfortably. Fortunately, our experts at Premier Systems put together a few reasons why your furnace is blowing cold air after a power outage and how to restore its operations.

Premier Systems is Helena, Montana’s premier professional heating and cooling service. If you need a reliable furnace repair company in Helena, MT, schedule an appointment with our experienced technicians.

Five Reasons Your Furnace Produces Cold Air After a Power Outage

Furnaces help your home maintain a comfortable indoor temperature during the coldest Montana winters. However, sometimes power outages can cause your furnace to malfunction and leave your home incredibly cold and uncomfortable. While homeowners can diagnose and resolve many of these malfunctions, some are more severe and require professional repairs. 

Below are a few reasons why your furnace is blowing cold air after a power outage in Helena, Montana.

1. Wrong Fan Setting

Sometimes, power outages can change your thermostat’s settings and switch the furnace from AUTO to ON. The ON setting forces the furnace to run continuously, causing the fan to produce cold air once it finishes a heating cycle. This can make it difficult to maintain a comfortable indoor temperature while potentially increasing your monthly energy bills.

Always check your thermostat after a power outage to ensure it’s in the correct setting. If your thermostat is on the ON setting, change it to AUTO and see if the furnace stops supplying cold air. The AUTO setting only activates the furnace’s fan during a heating cycle, ensuring it generates warm, comfortable air for your home.

2. Tripped Breakers

If your furnace is blowing cold air after a power outage, check the breakers.

Power outages often trip breakers that shut off various electronic fixtures, including your furnace. Breakers trip when energy overloads the circuits, preventing fixtures from overheating and catching fire. 

Find your home’s breaker box and ensure the breakers are in the correct position. If the outage tripped one of the circuit breakers, flip the switch and see if it activates your furnace. 

3. The Furnace Needs a Reset

Sometimes, fixing a cold-blowing furnace is as easy as resetting the unit. Many modern furnaces feature a red or yellow reset button that refreshes the system and returns it to its default settings. However, before you reset your furnace, you have to reset its breaker.

Find your furnace’s circuit breaker and switch it to the OFF setting. Wait 30 seconds and flip the breaker back on before pushing the furnace’s reset button.

To reset a gas furnace, shut off the unit’s pilot light and give the gas time to disperse (about 10 to 15 minutes). Set the furnace’s reset switch to PILOT and light the pilot light before flipping the switch to ON. If you do this correctly, your system will stop producing cold air and maintain your desired indoor climate.

4. Dirty Air Filter

Dirty air filters limit airflow and increase the furnace’s internal temperature. This causes the unit’s limit switch to shut down heating cycles to prevent it from overheating. Changing the air filter will improve airflow and diminish the furnace’s internal temperature, allowing it to finish heating cycles without jeopardizing the system.

However, if the unit continues producing cold air or overheats after changing the filter, contact a professional HVAC technician to assess the unit.

5. Broken Control Panel

The control panel acts as the furnace’s brain and transports information to and from other components. If the control panel malfunctions, it can’t activate the furnace’s heating cycle. Sometimes, resetting the system will fix control panel issues, but not always.

If your furnace continues generating chilled air after a reset, contact a heating company to fix or replace the control panel. 

Contact Premier Systems for Outstanding Furnace Repair and Maintenance Services in Helena, Montana

If your furnace is blowing cold air after a power outage, contact us at Premier Systems for first-class furnace repair and heating services. Our team will restore your furnace and ensure it supplies warm, cozy air so your home stays comfortable all winter long. Whether you need to fix a loud furnace or install a new HVAC system, our technicians have you covered.

Book your appointment by calling (406) 823-3602 and experience the Premier Systems difference today!