During the harsh winters, your home’s furnace creates a blissful escape from the cold weather outside, giving your home a cozy atmosphere to make family memories.
However, when things go wrong with your furnace, especially during the winter, you need to fix your furnace quickly. A common place for malfunctions and breakdowns to occur is in the motor of your furnace. This may lead you to ask, what is a furnace motor? What are the most common problems with furnace motors? And more importantly, how can you avoid these furnace issues?
Taking care of your furnace system includes taking care of your furnace’s motor. Keep reading below for all of the answers to your questions!
What Is A Furnace Motor, Exactly?
Furnace motors, also known as blower motors, are the component of your furnace that makes the whole system run. These are usually connected to the blower in some capacity, depending on the type of furnace motor. There are two types of furnace motor. These are the Direct Drive Motor and the Belt Drive Motor. These are considered very efficient and can last up to 20 years if taken care of.
Direct Drive Motors:
This type of furnace motor connects to your furnace’s blower wheel to circulate air through the furnace system. Direct drive motors are the most common type of furnace motor in households.
Belt Drive Motors:
Belt drive motors use a belt to connect to a fan pulley. You won’t find belt drive motors in many households, as these are more popular in industrial settings.
What Causes A Furnace Motor To Fail?
You should strive to schedule regular maintenance on your furnace once a year to every few years. Additionally, you should clean your furnace every year before the colder seasons start, especially if your home is prone to dust.
Generally, there are a few reasons that a furnace can fail, including overheating and excess moisture. These are caused by some of the following problems:
Dirty Filters
Your furnace filter is meant to catch dirt, dust, pet dander, and other contaminants in the air. By catching these contaminants, it protects your furnace motor from getting clogged. If contaminants such as dust, dirt, and pet dander reach your furnace motor, it can cause your furnace motor to overheat and break down. And don’t try to wash your filter as that can cause more damage.
Dripping Water
Water dripping into your furnace can be a huge problem. Whether it’s another component of your HVAC system leaking or a water leak in the area of your furnace, if that moisture finds its way into the furnace motor, it can wreak havoc on your system.
Dirty Ducts
Your furnace is only one component in your HVAC system. You also have your ventilation and air conditioning parts. If your ducts are full of dirt, dust, dander, and other contaminants, those can eventually affect your furnace and you may need to consider duct cleaning services.
How To Take Care Of Your Furnace Motor
Don’t Run Your Furnace Constantly
Whether it’s a car, a computer, or a furnace, for that matter, a machine that constantly runs will wear out quickly. If your furnace is constantly running, all year long, it will put stress on the smaller mechanical components. The bearings, bolts, and wires may wear out quickly with constant use. Make sure that your thermostat is working properly and isn’t making your furnace run constantly.
Change Your Furnace Filter
Change your filter once a month during periods of high usage. During the winter when your furnace is being used every day, you should strive to change your filter every month. During the warmer months when you aren’t using your furnace as much, you can slow down and change your filter every 2-3 months.
Clean Your Ducts
A lot gets trapped in your ducts. From dust and pet dander to even the occasional rodent, your ducts can get dirty throughout the year. These contaminants can eventually make their way into your furnace system and damage it. Getting your ducts cleaned every year can protect your furnace from damage.
Inspect Your Furnace Regularly
Getting a regular inspection of your furnace can help you catch smaller issues before they become expensive problems. A furnace specialist can inspect your furnace and help you prevent future failures and breakdowns.
J.A. Bertsch
J.A. Bertsch Heating & Cooling offers professional residential heating furnace repair services throughout Kootenai County. Our licensed furnace technicians cover all of North Idaho and our neighboring cities. Experience superior, award-winning service 24/7 by calling 1-800-FURNACE.
