Why is cold air coming through the heater vents?

Author: Miss Melyssa Mitchell II  |  Last update: Tuesday, November 18, 2025

You Have Cold Air Blowing Out The Vents When The Heat Is On Because of a Dirty Air Filter. Hiding in the filter of your heating system is dirt and debris. If you aren't cleaning it regularly, this will accumulate over time, leading to problems with your heating system's efficiency.

Why are my vents blowing out cold air when the heat is on?

The heat exchanger uses coils to transfer heat from the ignited gas to the air. When cold air blows from a furnace the heat exchanger, furnace burner, or exhaust are likely the cause. This may be due to dirty components, broken parts, or the many safety mechanisms within the gas system.

How do I stop cold air coming through my vents?

Ensure that all the ductwork connections are sealed properly on the interior and exterior points of the ductwork. You can seal gaps using metal tape, foaming insulation spray, or mastic sealant. You do not need to remove any existing sealant and may build up the sealant over top of any current filler.

How do you fix your heater when it's blowing out cold air?

If you only have cold air coming from the vents then likely there is an airflow issue with your system if it is a gas furnace. Replace your furnace filter. If that doesn't resolve it then there is a problem with your furnace and you should call a professional.

Why does it feel like cold air is coming out of my heater?

Two thermostat issues that could cause your furnace to blow cold air include (1) your thermostat is still set to COOL, not HEAT and (2) your thermostat fan is set to ON, not AUTO.

Furnace blowing COLD air out vents - 3 MOST common causes!

Why is my return vent blowing cold air?

Dirty filters, leaky ducts, and poor insulation can cause cold return vents. Leaky ducts often cause cold air to blow even after cranking the heat up. 20-30% of air, especially hot air, is lost because of leaky ducts. Cracked, holey ductwork needs sealing or replacement.

Should I turn my furnace off if it's blowing cold air?

Typically, there's a 10 to 15 minutes allowance for this. However, if after this time it's still producing cold air, then there's an underlying problem that needs to be addressed. It would be wise to turn the furnace off and get in touch with a pro immediately for help dealing with the issue.

How do I stop my furnace from blowing out cold air?

Check Furnace Air Filter

A dirty air filter hinders air movement through the furnace. This raises temperatures inside the furnace, and the limit switch shuts heating cycles down if the unit becomes too hot. If you have a dirty filter, replacing the filter typically stops cold air from blowing.

Why is my house cold if the heater is on?

If ductwork is not configured correctly, and the system is sized incorrectly, your home may still be cold even when the heating is on. With ductless system, there are no air leaks through ductwork. If properly sized, ductless is usually more efficient than traditional systems.

What happens if my heater isn't blowing hot air?

Ensure your thermostat has not been set to a lower setting by someone else. Check your thermostat's batteries and replace any that are exhausted or defective. Clean all of the parts of your furnace, especially the ones that are susceptible to dust and dirt.

How cold should the air coming out of my vents be?

Now, from the example above, with 75 degree air being pulled in at the air filter, what temperature should we expect to be blowing out? Well, the general consensus is somewhere between 14 to 20 degrees colder than the intake temperature. From my example, 55 to 61 degrees would be an acceptable range.

Why is there very little air coming out of vents?

**Clogged Air Filter:** A dirty or clogged air filter can restrict airflow, causing reduced air output from the vents. Check the air filter and replace it if it's dirty or clogged. 2. **Blocked Vents:** Make sure that all vents are open and unobstructed.

Should you feel air coming out of a return vent?

An air return vent is the hole through which the air in your home is sucked and sent back, or returned, to the HVAC system. This is why you won't feel air coming into a room through an air return vent—that is the job of another type of vent entirely (air supply vent).

Why is heat not coming through my vents?

While furnaces can stop operating for complicated reasons, home owners should check a few usual suspects first behind a lack of hot blowing air: Electrical problems causing a loss of power. Blocked air vents and ducts restricting airflow. Improperly configured thermostat settings.

How do you keep cold air from coming through vents?

Install insulation.

Poor insulation causes rapid cooling of the air as it moves through your home. Most pros recommend insulating your ducts up to the floor vents. If you're unsure how to locate your ducts or apply insulation, call a professional.

Why is my heat pump blowing cold air?

It's Defrosting

To protect the outdoor coils from freezing up in the winter, heat pumps go through a defrosting period every hour or so in which they are truly blowing out cold air. This defrosting period only lasts a few minutes and should not affect the overall temperature of your home.

Why is my house cold even with the heating on?

Make sure all vents and radiators are open and not blocked by furniture or curtains. Blocked vents can prevent the warm air from circulating freely in your rooms. It's also a good idea to bleed your radiators to remove any trapped air that can cause cold spots and reduce their efficiency.

Why does my house still feel cold at 73?

If you're cold even though your thermostat indicates you shouldn't be, your furnace likely isn't the problem. In most cases, it's working just fine. It's your home that needs attention. Lack of insulation, severe air leakage, and/or unbalanced ductwork are frequently to blame.

Why is my furnace running but my house is cold?

If your furnace is blowing hot but your home is still cold, it may be a problem with your ductwork. You may have leaky or damaged ducts that are letting hot air escape and cold air in. Sometimes a damper in the system can get miss-adjusted or come loose, thereby inadvertently blocking or reducing airflow.

Why is cool air coming out when the heater is on?

You Have Cold Air Blowing Out The Vents When The Heat Is On Because of a Dirty Air Filter. Hiding in the filter of your heating system is dirt and debris. If you aren't cleaning it regularly, this will accumulate over time, leading to problems with your heating system's efficiency.

Why does cold air come out of the heat vent?

Accidentally leaving your thermostat set to "cool" or setting the fan to "on" can cause cold air to come out instead of hot air. It also could have run out of batteries. Either way, the solution here is simple. Head over to your thermostat, make sure it has plenty of battery, and verify that the heating function is on.

How do I fix my furnace blowing cold air?

If your furnace is blowing cold air in your home, this is a sign of an issue with the flame detector, gas supply, air filter, pilot light, or condensate lines. Many of these issues are able to be easily solved on your own by sanitizing or replacing components in the gas furnace.

How do you know when your furnace is about to go out?

Signs Your Furnace is Going Out
  • Increasing illnesses.
  • High furnace age.
  • High and unexplained utility bills.
  • Sudden troublesome noises.
  • Pilot flame color.
  • Dry air.
  • Soot.
  • Frequent repairs.

Is it OK for my furnace to run constantly in cold weather?

One of the most common complaints among homeowners who possess a furnace is that their unit runs continuously. Unless you also have a heat pump (which can cause your unit to run frequently to maintain a set temperature during extremely cold weather), your furnace should cycle on and off at regular intervals.

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