It doesn’t sound like a huge deal. You turn on your furnace to keep warm on a cold winter’s night and the air doesn’t emerge from your vents at the speed you were expecting it. It suggests a minor problem at best, especially here in Southern Vermont where heating difficulties can run the gamut in the cold months of winter. But in point of fact a lack of air flow in your furnace is a big problem, which can result in serious repairs if you aren’t careful. Considering how early we are in the heating season, you should treat any problems with low air flow in your furnace promptly.
What Causes Low Air Flow?
Once your furnace has generated hot air, a fan connected to a motor pushes it through the ducts into your home. One or two basic things will stop that from happening. The first is that the force pushing the air isn’t sufficiently strong. That usually means there’s a problem with your fan motor, either because the motor itself is malfunctioning or because there’s a problem with its electrical connections. It can also some from a bent or misaligned fan. The second cause is a blockage in the system itself: anything from a clog in the ducts to a dirty air filter keeping the air from running.
Why It’s a Problem
The problem of low air flow lies in the fact that it forces your furnace to work harder to warm your home. Because the air isn’t circulating, your home heats up more slowly, coasting your extra in your monthly bills. Moreover, the added strain on the rest of the system means that your run a great risk of experiencing a breakdown, compounded by the high amounts of hot air left in your furnace to damage internal components.
If you detect low air flow in your home, shut off the system and call the professionals at HB Energy Solutions today!
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