Here in Seaford, DE, most homes use forced-air furnaces to stay warm in the winter. Furnaces don’t use heated water or other alternate forms of heating. Rather, burners pass warm temperatures through a heat exchanger to warm the air. The heated air is then blown through your ducts with a fan. But what happens when the air doesn’t flow as swiftly as you’re used to? Now is a good time to check for low air flow in your furnace, because if it crops up, you have time to address it before falling temperatures get too cold. Only a trained technician can identify the problem, but you can do yourself a favor by shutting the system down and calling for repairs the minute you spot the signs of low air flow. Why? Here’s a quick breakdown.
Low Air Flow Leads to Bigger Problems
In and of itself, low air flow is a problem because it forces your heater to work harder to warm your home. Not only does that raise your monthly heating bills higher than they should go, but it adds stress to other components in the heater, elevating the chances of a larger repair job in the future. Even worse, the fact that the hot air stays trapped in your furnace, causing key components to overheat.
Causes May Vary
There are a number of possible causes to this condition, all of which should be properly diagnosed by a trained and licensed repair service. But they usually boil down to one of two basic issues:
- Something is preventing the air from getting through the ducts. This can mean a clog, a block, or damage to your ducts such as a dent or a breach.
- The fan isn’t blowing with the power it needs, either because the fan motor or fan belt is experiencing problems, or because the fan itself is damaged.
Call Atlantic Refrigeration and Air Conditioning whenever you experience problems with your heater.