01 R50 w/ cold air blowing instead of heat help. Screechy belts @ startup

[PrecisionX]

So just today my super clean 2001 R50 with 126k started to blow cold air instead of heat. I noticed that on start up for the past month when cold I'd get a brief belt screech and after a few seconds itd go away. There would also be some cold ish days so I'd turn on the heat and it'd sound like a little bird was chirping in the dash. Today heading into work I have no heat. Go figure in New England on December 28th...

I'm thinking heater core and loose belt? Anything serious? What should I expect to set aside to get these things corrected. I can't go an entire winter without heat.

 

[Cumba]

Check the cooling system, maybe you have air in the system , park the vehicle on a hill, back side to the lower portion and check the levels of coolant and add if needed. Its called burping the system

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQk9HpuIrmA

 

[PrecisionX]

I was leaking some coolant but that's because the previous owner "topped off" fluids before I took delivery and I think he gave it too much. I've checked it cold and there's about an inch from the cap