If you don’t have an IR thermometer, simply watch your thermostat. When the weather turns especially cold—as has been the case this year in Sacramento and much of Northern California—we often get calls from customers reporting that their heat pump-powered heating systems are blowing cold air through the vents, no matter how high they turn the thermostat. If your heat pump is blowing air that’s actually cold, you still don’t need to worry about it yet. Perhaps your temperature gauge is running below normal. Two Reasons Your Heat Pump Is Blowing Cold Air. everyone’s body temperature is slightly different, but that’s the average. This is plenty warm to heat your home to your desired 72°F. If it drops to 30 outside, your system will blow 85 degree air, which is much cooler than your skin temperature. Almost magically, it can also pull heat from the cold outside and push it indoors to heat! Hi, Heat pumps will only give heat above 32 degrees and will blow cold air it temp is below that. But as it gets colder, and your heat pump can't pull as much heat in from the outdoor air, the air coming from your vents drops slightly in temperature. It's a statement heating and air conditioning pros hear every winter – "My heat pump is blowing cold air!" This energy is transferred to internal air that is passed through the heat pump and then blown back into the home. During the colder months, a heat pump will produce air that is approximately 55 degrees warmer than the outdoor air. The Heat Pump Condensing Unit Problems that will cause your heat pump to blow cold air in the winter include: Your heat pump condenser tripped the breaker, so its blowing cold air. Super Cold. In other words, it's not putting out any heat at all. Don't panic if steam comes out of the top of the outside equipment. I have an older TRANE XE 900 heat pump. The air coming from your supply vent should be anywhere from 15-30 degrees hotter than the air near your return vent (depending on how cold it is outside). Rebecca, if I were close to where you live, I would come out and take a look at your system and … It's all part of the process of heating your home with a heat pump! I honestly don’t mean this to be insulting, but you’d be surprised at how many times people are shocked to learn that neither your air conditioning nor your heater will be cold or hot right after you turn them on. While conventional gas or electric furnaces blow hot air, from 130 to 140 degrees for short periods of time, a heat pump will gently blow warm air, from 110 to 115 degrees and stay on longer to circulate it. Furnaces and heat pumps that blow cold air will be doing so for entirely different reasons due to each unit’s method of heating the air. Then it will turn the auxillary heat on until the house warms up to the correct temperature. Your heat pump is blowing slightly cooler air. As long as that’s happening, everything’s hunky-dory. But this will only go on for a couple minutes, and won’t affect the overall temperature of your home. Why? This could make it feel like cool air is coming out of your vents. A dirty air filter can block airflow over your furnace’s heat exchanger, which can cause it to overheat. Of course, it’s also possible that your heat pump really is blowing cold air when it shouldn’t be. You see, a heat pump heats your home by moving heat from the outdoor air into your home. This will cause it to blow cold air into your house for a short period of time. With a heater blowing cold air, the first question I’d ask someone is if cold air is blowing from their furnace right after they turn their heat on. Continue reading for a few more factors to consider. and temp is down to 29 degrees and heat pumps will not give any heat. Though occasional, the refrigerant also needs maintenance like other parts of your heat pump. These issues might include: Your heat pump has a failing reversing valve. Get help with your home improvement projects. If there are no obvious issues, then it’s probably time to give your local heating and air company a call. Here’s Why. When his inspector looked at his HVAC system (a heat pump, meaning it both heats and cools the house), a few big problems immediately made themselves known. That means if it’s 25 degrees Fahrenheit outside, the heat pump will crank air into your home that’s around 80 degrees Fahrenheit. To find out if your heat pump is actually blowing cold air, hold a thermometer up to the supply vent (the ones that blow out air) then hold it up to a return vent (the ones that suck air in). Your heat pump is fine, you just think your heat pump is blowing “cold” air Your heat pump is actually blowing cold air, in which case there is likely an issue with your system Below, we’ll go into each of these possibilities in more detail, to give you a better idea of why your heat pump is blowing cold air. It’s Defrosting. Before we help you diagnose the problem, let’s make sure there is actually a problem. Here’s the downside of a heat pump: The warmth of the air it produces is entirely dependent upon the outside temperature. Think of it like trying to pour a thimble of hot water on a glacier. The furnace blowing cold air, or there is no heat in the house. There are two possible routes here, one of which many homeowners who are new to heat pump systems encounter. Call 386-337-3502 or contact us online to schedule an appointment today! Ensure that there is actually a problem when your heat pump is blowing cold air. A furnace typically puts out air at around 130 degrees, whereas warm air from a heat pump is only a little over 90 degrees on a moderately cold day. The homeowners were looking to save money on their energy bills and have a more comfortable home on all floors. Air conditioners and heat pumps can actually freeze into solid blocks of ice. Maybe the fan is malfunctioning. Make sure the thermostat is set to “AUTO”, not “ON”. While there may be a chance the system … Is the Pilot Light lit? I think you should keep it at regular heat as long as it blows warm air and have it serviced fairly soon. Check the following to tell if you have a heat pump. It’s Defrosting. Because this is slightly below your normal body temperature of 98.6 degrees, the air from the heat pump feels cool – but it is still warmer than the air in the room and is definitely heating your home. My heat pump is set for heat, but late in the night or early morning, while the heater is on, it switches itself and blows cold air. The Reason Your Heat Pump Is Blowing Cold Air. It blows cold air when the heat is on. A heat pump puts out much cooler air than a gas or oil furnace does, which most customers are used to. I … Hi everyone, I have a 1-year old GOODMAN 2.5 Ton, 13 SEER Heat Pump. The nest seems to blow warm air normally but once it switches to alternative heat source, then it starts blowing cold air. In either case, the heat pump isn’t running to heat the air and therefore, you’re getting whatever temperature it … Home Heater Blowing Cold Air? Here our experts at M&M Heating & Air Conditioning explain why this happens and whether or not it’s a cause for concern. Get up-to-date current news, promotions and industry tips. It’s Defrosting. This isn’t a problem when it’s 55 degrees outside—your system will expel air that’s a toasty warm 110 degrees or so. It seems to keep blowing cold air until the house drops a degree below the indoor thermastat setting. Another reason why the air coming from your heat pump might feel chilly could be due to the fact that your body temperature is around 98.6°F and heat pumps blow air that is a temperature below that. The heat pump may be blowing warm air; it just does not “feel” warm. The neat trick with heat pumps is that in summer, this process is easily reversed, allowing the same mechanism to instead transfer heat out of your home, cooling it in the process. Don't panic if you see frost on your outside equipment's coil. When the weather gets too cold outside it blows cold air when it's on the heat mode. To make sure that your heat pump is actually blowing cold air, you’ll want to … Their operation relies on a key truth about heat: It wants to be evenly distributed, and will move from areas of high warmth to areas of low warmth. When the weather gets too cold outside it blows cold air when it's on the heat mode. Generally, conventional systems (like a furnace) are located inside the home and only produce heat. Let us explain…. We respect your privacy. However, if your heat pump blows cold air for more than a couple minutes every hour or so, then your system isn’t working properly. About every hour, your heat pump defroster will kick on. Heat pumps take this process and crank it into overdrive, extracting heat from cool and even cold air. 1. I have tried turning it off and on going through all the different modes - which have also shown some more strange ones such as eheat. Heat pumps are typically located outside of the home and look like an air conditioner. 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. Lately, the vents blow cold air once the set temperature is reached. I came home from work and the house was 80 degrees. Most homes use air-source heat pumps, which run outside air through a series of coils that extract heat energy. What' … read more It cooled just fine last week, but now blows hot air on AC mode. We have a heat pump and a ritetemp programmable thermostat. Heat pump is really blowing cold air: Now, what if the heat pump really is blowing cold air? 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. It’s Defrosting. Turn the ring and choose Settings. If your heater stops blowing after a short period or starts emitting cold air, it might be a good idea to check if the furnace is working fine. Check your thermostat - Double check that the system didn’t accidentally get set for cooling. A lack of heat can be a symptom of a much larger problem. Heat Pumps and Electric Home Heating - Honeywell T5 thermostat blowing cold air on heat - Hello everyone, I have a Lennox heat pump system and … I am in GS, AL. Heat pumps and air conditioners are different because of the functions they provide. Hi everyone, I have a 1-year old GOODMAN 2.5 Ton, 13 SEER Heat Pump. There are other reasons your heat pump could be blowing cold air instead of heat, but those are the basics. Let’s explain why your heat pump or furnace might not be working the way you’re expecting it to, and whether you need to call for professional help. Heat pumps are highly efficient to about 32°F. Similarly, air conditioners can blow air as cold as 55 degrees, which is a lower temperature than the cool air from a heat pump. 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. However, this air is almost certainly warmer than the desired temperature of your home (unless you like living in a sauna), and thus will successfully maintain that temperature. It could even be running in the air conditioning mode due to a malfunction. Common Reasons Your Heat Pump Is Blowing Cold Air. Emergency Heat, also known as “auxiliary heat”, is the second stage of heat that your thermostat runs on when the temperature is too cold for your heat pump to extract heat from the outside. Check the manufacturer or EnergyGuide labels on the unit for the words “heat pump.” As a result, the air will actually feel cool against your skin. Posted 12-22-14 in Heating. Compare that to a furnace; the air it blows is so … Let’s say you’re doing these things and your heat pump is still blowing cold air in the winter. Turn off the heat at the thermostat and check your air filter. Next, check your outdoor unit is not iced over (see Heat Pump Troubleshooting Problem #1). It will go for hours like this and I will have to manually shut it down. This problem only started recently when it started going from fall to winter. If you don’t have an IR thermometer, simply watch your thermostat. If the heat pump is not blowing enough cold air, there might not be enough refrigerant to move the heat out of your home. Heat pumps don’t have this problem because they don’t use an energy source to produce heat. To warm your cold inside air, the heat pump’s outdoor unit uses liquid refrigerant to absorb heat from the outside air. Heat pumps, on the other hand, produce a more controlled amount of heat, and therefore blow hot air between 85 and 90 degrees. As of today, I'm having trouble with the pump heating my home. The temperature in your home should rise gradually until reaching your desired setting. © 2021 Coolray Heating & Air Conditioning all rights reserved. Here’s why: The vent air’s temperature might be below your body temperature (which is about 98.6°F). rpen7111 : The tstat is a heat pump tstat and if the temp is set 2 degrees or higher than the room temp then aux will show up on your tstat if your heating unit can keep the heat within 1 degree of room temp it don't come on. What would cause the heat setting to send cold air (this was during winter)? Gas furnaces produce air that is 130-140°F range. This might sound crazy, but a heat pump can be working just fine even if the air feels cold. Don't panic if you have a heat pump and if cold air blows out of your duct work for a little while on and off while you run your heat at home. It will also need to be replaced by a technician. I have a coleman heat pump that was installed new in my home in 2006. If you’re reading this and you have a heat pump, there’s good news—contrary to what you might fear, this is likely normal heat pump operation! Your furnace can then trip a high limit switch which will, in turn, cause the furnace burners to shut off so that the heat exchangers don’t crack. This might sound crazy, but a heat pump can be working just fine even if the air feels cold. Heat Pump Blowing out Hot Air? This is why your home warms up in the summertime, while the winter weather seems to suck the heat right out of your home. Heat pump not heating There are many reasons your car's heater isn't working. Heat pumps work by transferring heat from outside into your house. Heat Pump vs. Air Conditioner and Gas Furnace, Which is Better? Well this could be caused by several things. When set to “ON” the fan will stay on even when your heat pump isn’t actually heating. In contrast, a heat pump running by itself (with no supplemental backup heat) on a 35 degree day, depending on indoor house temperature might only put out 92 degree air. I … Why a Heat Pump Will Blow Cold Air Here’s the downside of a heat pump: The warmth of the air it produces is entirely dependent upon the outside temperature. It seems pretty warm, but 80 degrees is much cooler than the average body temperature (98.6 degrees Fahrenheit) and could feel like cold air blowing into the home. Whereas traditional heaters rely on heat generation, heat pumps work by transferring heat. Your email is safe with us. In other words, the unit’s refrigerant is most likely leaking. If not, your system may have a valve problem, a refrigerant charge issue, or a compressor problem. Generally speaking, a heat pump will produce air that is about 55 degrees warmer than the outside air. Heat Pumps and Electric Home Heating - Heat pump blows hot air on AC mode - I have a Carrier Tech 2000 heat pump. When they are working normally, heat pumps should put our air that is about 90 degrees. Luckily, almost all of them are an easy fix for a certified heat pump repair team. If the heat pump isn’t working at all but the air handler and blower are working fine, then the device will simply blow cold air from outside or possibly even just recycled cold air from inside. Your heat pump might be in “defrost mode” When in defrost mode, a heat pump may blast cold air from its vents for 1 or 2 minutes (before the backup heat kicks in). Below freezing, your heat pump simply can’t draw enough heat from the cold air outside and will kick on its auxiliary heat mode to generate heat for your home. Broken reversing valve: As the name suggests, the reversing valve allows the heat pump to work as both a heater and an air conditioner by reversing the direction of the refrigerant. Tom can help. Damaged Ducts. The cold air blowing is continuous and the house gets chilly before heating up again. It's blowing cool/cold air. It could be that your heater is working just fine. Troubleshooting a Heater Blowing Cold Air. The Phoenix weather is getting “cold,” and a furnace or heat pump blowing cold air is the last thing Arizonans want when we come home. So 85-92°F feels cold to new heat pump owners. My thermostat keeps showing auxiliary heat and it blows cold air. Common issues that require professional intervention include: If your heat pump isn’t working properly or has failed altogether, give Gilmore a call. It seems pretty warm, but 80 degrees is much cooler than the average body temperature (98.6 degrees Fahrenheit) and could feel like cold air blowing into the home. This is one of the most common calls we get during the summer. Heat Pump Blowing Cold Air | Refrigeration Heating Troubleshooting. This versatility is what has made them increasingly popular: they’re relatively simple, and eliminate the need to install separate heating and cooling systems. If so, your heat pump is blowing warm air that just feels cold to you. If it’s dirty, change it! A friend of ours bought a new house recently. If the heat pump turns on when you want cool air, but not for heat, this is likely the cause. If gas supply is interrupted for any reason, the gas furnace pilot light will go out. If so, your heat pump is blowing warm air that just feels cold to you. If you’re reading this and you have a heat pump, there’s good news—contrary to what you might fear, this is likely normal heat pump operation! On a miserably hot and humid summer day, the last thing you want to deal with is a heat pump that is blowing out hot air. So even though the heat pump is creating warm air (usually 80-95°F), it may feel cool to … Heating up air uses a lot of energy and is financially costly. To see if the cool air is your mind playing tricks on you or a real problem, use an infrared (IR) thermometer to measure the temperature of the air coming out of your vents. Heat pumps transfer heat from one location to another—they don’t create it like a furnace does. This is a common complaint, and in order to explain what’s going on, first we have to backtrack and explain what a heat pump is. Here’s What It Could Mean 7 Possible Reasons Your Home Heater/Furnace Is Blowing Cold Air. Then it will turn the auxillary heat on until the house warms up to the correct temperature. Below is a list of possible causes. Heat pumps heat and cool and an AC unit only cools. Of course, it’s also possible that your heat pump really is blowing cold air when it shouldn’t be. Generally speaking, a heat pump will produce air that is about 55 degrees warmer than the outside air. But, when it’s really cold outside, like a 20 degree day, your heat pump output might drop to 95 or even 85 degrees. Heat pumps usually produce air that is 85-92°F. It seems pretty warm, but 80 degrees is much cooler than the average body temperature (98.6 degrees Fahrenheit) and could feel like cold air blowing into the home. Unlike a traditional furnace that generates its own heat, a heat pump transfers air from the outdoors and vice versa. Check to make sure that the air intake isn’t blocked, the ductwork is properly connected, and the filter is clear. Items in red usually require a service call. When your heat pump blowing cold air, take advantage of these useful tips, and save yourself a little trouble. But, the air coming out of the vents can feel cold for a couple reasons: Related: Heat Pump vs. Air Conditioner and Gas Furnace, Which is Better? I'm using G, Y1, W1, O/B, Rh, C. Apologies for the vague/low-information post. Furnaces tend to put out about 130 to 140 degree air. The frozen part is the evaporator coil, which can block the cool air flowing into your home. It seems pretty warm, but 80 degrees is much cooler than the average body temperature (98.6 degrees Fahrenheit) and could feel like cold air blowing into the home. Given that the ideal thermostat setting is at 68 degrees, blown air at 90 degrees is actually warmer than what is needed for heating. One such issue is when the heat pump seems to be blowing out cold air even while in heating mode, which is likely to make them start fiddling with the thermostat in hopes of fixing the perceived problem. That means if it’s 25 degrees Fahrenheit outside, the heat pump will crank air into your home that’s around 80 degrees Fahrenheit. It is important to note that occasionally, heat pumps will go through a defrost cycle, during which the unit will blow air that is truly cold. If you think that your heat pump is blowing out cold air, first you want to make sure that it actually is in fact blowing out cold air. Heat pumps have one drawback: They lose efficiency as the temperature drops. To protect the heater from malfunctioning altogether, engineers embed automatic limit switches that are responsible for turning the heat-generating furnace off. Before we help you diagnose the problem, let’s make sure there is actually a problem. Just call (770) 421-8400 or schedule your repair online. I reinstalled the ecobee this week and it is working well now. If your heat pump is blowing some cold air, there are a few things that may be going wrong. Problem: Homeowners with older style Heat Pump Systems complain about very high energy bills, cold air blowing from vents and the temperature difference between the top floor and the basement. Most homes use air-source heat pumps, which run outside air through a series of coils that extract heat energy. This energy is transferred to internal air that is passed through the heat pump and then blown back into the home. Instead, they’re essentially two-way air conditioners, capable of removing heat from a home and emitting it outdoors, or vice versa. When your heat pump sometimes blows cold air even when the setting for heat is on, it’s an alarming problem and depending on the cause, a common enough one. Meanwhile, the outside air is redirected back into the outside environment as a blast of icy cold air. When it is in heat mode it will heat fine until it gets within 3 degrees of the target temp on the thermostat, then it will start blowing very cool air and it never reaches the target temperature and it wont stop running. It continues to blow when it's in auxiliary also but w/o heat just air. There are a few reasons your heat pump could be blowing cold air. It seems to keep blowing cold air until the house drops a degree below the indoor thermastat setting. The system is running, but the air … To see if the cool air is your mind playing tricks on you or a real problem, use an infrared (IR) thermometer to measure the temperature of the air coming out of your vents. I believe the wiring connections were the same, except maybe Rh vs. Rc, perhaps? While furnaces may produce about 130- to 140-degree air, a heat pump (running without supplemental backup heat) might only produce about 92-degree air (depending on surrounding conditions). Clogged air filters could be causing cold air to blow out of your vents. Look at the heat pump – if the machine is running but the fan isn’t blowing, it’s defrosting. The Heat Pump Isn’t Actually Blowing Cold Air. During the colder months, a heat pump will produce air that is approximately 55 degrees warmer than the outdoor air. You Shouldn’t Be Heating Your Home With a Space Heater, California Cities Have Chromium 6 Levels Above The State-Mandated Maximum. Heat pumps take this process and crank it into overdrive, extracting heat from cool and even cold air. 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