“What was that?” Every homeowner knows that creepy feeling when they hear a strange sound coming from some corner of the house. Granted, nearly every home has its own set of creaks and groans, but if you’ve started hearing a menacing new one – especially when your heating system cycles on – it may be a sign that your furnace blower motor is malfunctioning.
When it comes to furnace and heat pump failures, one of the biggest causes is motor failure. However, the blower motor replacement is often very expensive and it could be more economical to replace your furnace instead. This is why furnace maintenance and repairs are so important. The team at Nardco Heating and Air Conditioning explains what a furnace blower motor is, signs it’s experiencing problems, and what you can do to fix it.
How Do Furnace Blower Motors Work?
You may not even realize your furnace or heat pump includes a motor, but that motor plays a very important role. Also known as a blower motor, it’s a device that makes it possible for the heat generated by your furnace or heat pump to flow throughout your home.
A furnace motor blower is a simple electric motor that uses coils of wire and magnets to transform electrical current into circular motion. When electricity flows through the motor’s coils, the shaft in the middle of the motor spins at amazingly high speeds. Some of today’s blower motors spin at more than 1,200 revolutions per minute, or that’s 20 times per second.
In most of today’s furnaces and heat pumps, the blower motor is directly attached to an impeller, or blower wheel, that collects air and forces it through what’s known as a heat exchanger before it flows out into your home’s ductwork. In older heating systems, the blower wheel may be attached to the motor using a fan belt like the one in your car.
Some Blower Motors Have Different Operational Speeds
Most older and less expensive systems use motors that operate at just one speed. When the thermostat calls for more heat, they spin at full speed until the temperature reaches the desired level, and then it shuts back down.
Newer and higher-quality heating equipment typically uses variable-speed blower motors. As their name implies, they can operate at a wide range of speeds. The more heat that’s needed, the faster they run. Because they ramp up to and ramp down from top speed more slowly, variable-speed motors usually do a better job of keeping the temperature in the home more steady. Since they don’t have to work as hard, they use lots less energy, so your bills go down.
Common Signs of a Failing Blower Motor
First, motors are an incredibly durable and reliable technology. While blower motor failures aren’t common, especially with preventive maintenance and prompt repairs, they can still happen every now and then. When they do occur, it’s commonly because of one of these reasons:
- Inadequate Airflow. Blower motors are good about giving us a warning they’re about to fail. All we need to do is check the airflow regularly. Put your hand near your air vents to see if the airflow coming out of the motor is strong. If it starts becoming weak – or nonexistent – you need service right now. Oftentimes, a dirty air filter can be preventing air flow to your furnace, so changing it for a new one is a good idea. If you’ve neglected to change the air filter for a long time, there’s a good chance there is a lot of dust in your HVAC system. Schedule furnace maintenance to have your system cleaned to prevent an overheating blower motor from causing issues.
- Strange Noises. Strange noises have no effect on how blower motors work, but they can be a warning sign of a breakdown in the system. The fan blade’s a little off-center and at speed, it scrapes against the housing. A professional HVAC technician can tighten connections to make sure everything is running as it should.
- Bad Odors. If you’ve never smelled a motor that’s burning out, it’s unique and intense. A bad blower motor will have a strong burning smell that you’ll never forget. Bad odors in your home aren’t just annoying, they can also be dangerous. If you notice strong odors when running your HVAC system, turn it off and call for service right away.
- Rust. If there’s rust on the blower motor, it’s been in or far too close to water. Rust is often a sign of excess humidity, which should not be present within your HVAC system. Talk to someone about fixing your HVAC unit’s blower motor right away.
- High Energy Bills. No matter the cause, imminent motor failure provides another warning sign: electric bills. If yours have shown a significant and sudden increase for no clear reason, a faulty blower motor could be the culprit.
Can I Replace An HVAC Unit’s Blower Motor Myself?
You may be pretty handy with a toolbox, or you may have watched that YouTube video that made it look so easy. However, furnace blower motor issues often point to other causes that should be addressed so it doesn’t happen again. Today’s sophisticated furnaces and heat pumps are more electronic than mechanical, and bumping a chip out of its slot could make things worse.
A furnace blower motor is an integral part of your home’s HVAC system, and if you’re not trained to spot issues with furnaces, then it’s best to leave this kind of task to a professional HVAC technician.
Schedule Repairs or Maintenance in Anderson, IN with Nardco
To prevent issues with your furnace blower motor, it’s smart to stay regular with tune-up service for your HVAC system every year. Maintenance can help prevent issues from happening when you need to rely on your system the most. If you ever notice that your furnace or heat pump isn’t working right, prompt repairs will restore it to its peak efficiency and prevent worse damage from occurring.
For all your home comfort needs, talk to Nardco to fix blower motors or any other components in your HVAC unit.
