Lorain gets mighty cold in the winter, and your furnace works hard to keep you comfortable. Understanding the components of your system and how it works can help you troubleshoot problems and effectively communicate with your technician should you need service.
The Thermostat
The thermostat monitors the air temperature in your home and sends a signal to the furnace when the temperature goes below the setting. The gas valve opens, and gas enters the burners. The pilot light ignites the gas.
The Blower
The blower kicks on and draws in air from the cold air return, the duct that sits upwind from the filter. The air moves through the filter to remove dust and other particles and enters the system.
The Heat Exchanger
The heat exchanger, a metal chamber with liquid inside, becomes hot, and the cool air moves around it, absorbing its heat.
The Plenum
The warm air moves into the plenum, which is the large metal box that sits atop the furnace. From there, the air is blown into the ducts and moves into your rooms through the heat registers.
The Flue
The flue is the round pipe that exhausts combustion gases outdoors through a wall or the roof.
Annual Maintenance Prevents Common Operating Problems
While a furnace has few moving parts, it’s a complex system, and a problem with one component can affect all of the other components. Annual maintenance includes a number of tasks to ensure each component is working properly and efficiently. These include:
- Tightening electrical and gas connections.
- Testing the thermostat for accuracy.
- Removing dust from interior components.
- Checking for carbon monoxide leaks.
Annual preventive maintenance is crucial for preventing common operating problems, lowering your energy bills and keeping you toasty warm. It lowers your carbon footprint by ensuring top fuel efficiency, and it helps to ensure optimum safety.
It’s never too late to enjoy the benefits of a tuneup. To schedule yours, or for more information about how your furnace works, please contact us at Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning, proudly serving Lorain, Elyria, and Oberlin with a high level of customer satisfaction.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Lorain, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about furnace components and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Guide or call us at 440-201-2959.
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Angie Lyczkowski is the owner and manager of operations at Energy 1 Heating and Air Conditioning... 
Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning
1 (440) 246-5440
Serving the Lorain, OH Area