Nobody wants their HVAC system to fail, whether the temperature is frigid in the winter or scorching hot in the summer. However, if your central heating and cooling system aren’t operating correctly, you need to figure out what’s wrong and fix it.
Several factors might cause your air conditioning and furnace system to malfunction. It is sometimes necessary to replace a damaged component. In this post, we’ll look at several warning indications that your furnace’s blower motor is failing and when you should replace it.
How Do Blower motor Powerstroke in Furnaces Work?
The Blower motor Powerstroke in your HVAC system pushes warm or cooled air through your home’s vents. The air heated by your furnace or cooled by your air conditioner circulates throughout your home until each room meets the temperature you have set.
In furnace Blower motor Powerstroke, there are two types of drives: direct and reversible.
1. Direct drive motors are directly connected to the furnace blower wheel. These are the most popular, and they are used in the majority of contemporary gas furnaces.
2. Belt drive motors are less prevalent in residential furnaces, as they are often found primarily in extremely ancient furnaces. The motor pulley of a drive belt motor is linked to a fan pulley located on a shaft to turn the blower wheel. However, belt drive motors are occasionally seen in commercial heating and cooling systems.
There are two sorts of speeds for home furnace blower motors:
1. Single-speed blower motors blow air at full blast until the desired temperature is reached. When the temperature is reached, it turns off; when the temperature in the room goes outside of the acceptable range, the single-speed blower restarts.
2. Variable speed blower motors, as the name says, work at various speeds. A variable-speed blower is more energy-efficient, which may seem paradoxical. It is because it maintains your home’s temperature evenly dispersed. When the desired temperature goes outside of the range, the variable speed blower slows down. When the temperature difference is substantial, the blower runs at a more incredible speed.
What Factors Contribute to Blower Motor Failure?
The blower motor, like other components in your HVAC system, can wear down over time. Overheating and high moisture are two causes of blower motor failure. When dust, dirt, and debris accumulate, the windings and bearings might burn out more quickly. Furnaces are often situated in a remote area, such as the attic, basement, garage, or utility room. Blower motors that become clogged with dirt or saturated with moisture might fail due to overworking or electrical shorts.
When replacing the blower motor in your HVAC system, consider how frequently you pay for maintenance. Most household furnaces have a lifespan of fifteen to twenty years. Therefore, regular HVAC maintenance might help your furnace last even longer. However, if you have to replace the blower motor every few years and the life of your furnace is growing shorter, it may make more financial sense to purchase a new furnace rather than pay for increasingly frequent repairs.
What Are the Warning Signs That Your Blower Motor Needs to Be Replaced?
What are some tell-tale symptoms that your furnace motor blower requires repair or replacement?
1. Inadequate airflow from air vents
will be the first and most visible symptom that your blower motor is malfunctioning. It may or may not imply that you require a new motor. If there is minimal airflow coming from the vents, the motor may be blocked or faulty. It is conceivable that the motor is blocked with dirt and dust, has a defective capacitor, or the air ducts are leaking. If the motor has overheated, been saturated with moisture, or has reached the end of its useful life, it may need to be replaced. If you have poor airflow, a professional HVAC expert can diagnose the problem.
2. There is no airflow from the vents.
When you turn on the heat, if there is no air flowing from your air vents, it may entirely damage the blower. At that point, the only option would be to purchase a replacement motor blower. There might be other reasons for the lack of airflows, such as a malfunctioning switch, a faulty thermostat, or control.
3. Inflating Energy Bills
The blower motor is the most energy-intensive component of a central HVAC system. If you already have a variable-speed blower motor in your furnace and it is not blocked with dirt, the motor may be worn out and nearing the end of its life. It’s also likely that your air ducts have a significant leak. In addition, dirty blowers must work harder to push conditioned air through your air ducts, but this can also be an indication of a failing blower motor.
4. Strange Noises When Turning On the Heater
When you operate your furnace, call a heating professional as soon as possible if you hear weird noises like screaming, screeching, rattling, or clanking. Some problems are simple to fix, while others may necessitate the replacement of the blower motor.
Screeching or squealing noises may indicate bearing troubles in direct drive furnaces or belt problems in older belt drive furnaces. If your heating system generates rattling or banging noises, it is most likely due to a broken or damaged part. Banging sounds are more significant and may indicate that the blower motor needs to be replaced. A trained HVAC expert must do a comprehensive inspection to determine the source of the problem.
5. Blower Overheating / Odd Smells
There will be apparent symptoms if your blower motor is overheated. One example would be a burning odour coming from your air vents whenever you turn on the heat. This indicates that the blower motor is overheating. Another indicator is whether the system shuts down or the blower stops working when the heat is on. If your system is shutting down to prevent electrical damage, or if the blower is shutting down, contact a qualified HVAC contractor right away.
Changing the Blower Motor in Your Furnace
Your local licensed HVAC expert can assist you in locating and installing the appropriate blower motor for your HVAC system. First, the heating specialist must gather information about your furnace and consider several factors, including the kind of drive, motor diameter, rotation direction, horsepower, voltage, speeds, and capacitor size. Based on these facts, the HVAC firm will be able to make the best recommendation, provide you with an estimate, and schedule an installation.
