One of the most common methods of home heating is forced air: furnaces and heat pumps both circulate heated air through ducts and out vents to provide warmth. A critical component of any forced air system is the fan. Furnaces and heat pumps use multiple fans to perform different functions. Both use fans to send out heated air through the ducts. Furnaces also have fans for the process of heat transference, and heat pumps use fans in their indoor and outdoor units to move air across the coils for the purpose of heat exchange.
Fans need to stay in good repair. If they malfunction, they will cause problems with your heating. Here are a few issues you may encounter with your furnace or heat pump. For help with a faulty fan or any other troubles with your heating in Havertown, PA look to Wm. Henderson Plumbing & Heating Inc. for fast and thorough service.
Heating problems from a faulty fan
- Low airflow: If faults occur with the blower fans responsible for sending heated air from a furnace or the conditioned air from a heat pump into the ducts, it will result in a drop in airflow through the ducts and out the vents. This will cause a plunge in heating effectiveness, and eventually no heat at all should the fan cease working entirely.
- No heat exchange: For heat pumps, the fans in the indoor and outdoor unit are vital for the process of heat exchange that absorbs heat from the outside and releases inside. If either fan fails, it will make no difference if the compressors are working correctly and the heat pump has the proper amount of refrigerant: the heat pump will not be able to absorb heat along the evaporator coil (if the outdoor fan breaks) and/or release it along the condenser coil (if the indoor fan breaks), resulting in no heating power at all.
- Noisy operation: Fan blades can become damaged if any debris manages into enter the heating cabinet. If this occurs, the blade can strike striking the casing, causing a loud clanging noise from the heater. This is not only noise pollution, it is detrimental to other components in the cabinet and need to be fixed as soon as possible.
Although malfunctions in any component of your heating system require repairs, faulty fans are issues you will notice almost as soon as they start. This is a positive thing, since you’ll know to act on them immediately. (Some heater repair issues can pass without notice until they cause a larger malfunction, which is one of the reasons you should schedule regular check-ups for your system.) If you have fan troubles in your heater, call Wm. Henderson Plumbing & Heating Inc. We have more than 36 years of experience maintaining and repairing heating in Havertown, PA.