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Warning Signs That Your Furnace Blower Is In Distress

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A furnace is a little like an oversized space heater in that its job is to heat up cold air and blow the warm air out to increase a room's ambient temperature. However, a furnace is a much bigger appliance with more involved components. One of those components is the blower, a circular device with a motor inside. As the name suggests, its job is to blow the warmed air out.

Your blower and its motor are one of the furnace components that can go awry in your heating system. Read on for some warning signs that your blower is in distress and needing repair.

Furnace Squeaks When in Operation

When your furnace kicks in, do you hear a mechanical squeaking noise? If so, you may have an issue with either the blower's fan belt or the motor bearings. Inside of the round blower casing is an industrial fan, turned with a belt. If it starts wearing out, the belt will start to squeak or squeal. It may need to be tightened or replaced.

The other issue might be with the motor itself, specifically its ball bearings. The motor features a channel with metal balls. These balls "bear" the brunt of the friction when the motor is in operation. When they start to wear out, they make that mechanical squeaking noise. In that case, they need replacement before the motor dies from the friction.

Only Weak Airflow Comes From the Vents

The operation of your heating system depends on the blower working. The blower sucks in the cold air from outside and channels it to the heating chamber. Its continued blowing is what drives the air through the heating chamber and out through the ducts and registers.

So you might be getting warm air in your rooms, but perhaps the airflow itself is very weak. Such an occurrence can indicate several issues with the blower, including a bad relay between it and its power source. The motor might also have an issue with fan control.

Furnace Blows Cold Air

Sometimes when the thermostat triggers your furnace, you feel an instance of cold air before the warm air kicks in. This instance of cold air is a normal part of the operation. However, if the heated air never arrives, you've got a warning sign.

According to Modernize, failure to blow any hot air may be a sign that the blower fan is malfunctioning. So it may be able to blow warm air into some rooms, but not others. The issue could be in the power source, which affects the blower's ability to push the warmed air through the vents before it cools again.

If you think you have a problem with your furnace blower, call a company like Moore Heating & Air Conditioning Inc. for repair services.


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