Here in Jacksonville, FL, furnaces are a common home heating system, providing reliable and inexpensive warmth by blowing heated air through a system of ducts. The process used to create that heat is actually fairly straightforward, but like a lot of mechanical systems, it requires multiple components working in conjunction to create the heat. Understanding those components is a big step towards understanding why a furnace develops problems from time to time.
Here are 3 important components you should be aware of:
- Ignition/thermocouple. The ignition system used to be the pilot light in older furnaces, and is now usually an electrical ignition system designed to ignite the flow of gas. The thermocouple is a valve that controls the flow of gas into the furnace, and will only do so if it detects the ignition system functioning. (That keeps your home from being flooded with gas if there’s a problem.) Many times, the ignition and the thermocouple are part of the same component.
- Burners. Once the gas is lit, it moves to the burners which channel the heat into the heat exchanger. Burners can become clogged with dirt, which may restrict their functioning, and can also suffer damage and wear-and-tear. Most furnaces have multiple burners, which means a damaged burner won’t shut off your heat. It will lower the heating potential, however, and force your furnace to work harder to do its job.
- Heat exchanger. The heat exchanger is essentially a long metal tube with openings at either end. Heated gas passes through it, heating the surface and passing the heat along to the surrounding air. Trace toxins in the gas are removed through a venting pipe, while the heated air can then be blown into your house with a fan. Heat exchangers don’t have moving parts so they rarely suffer damage, but when they do, it usually means you have to replace the entire furnace.
If you detect a problem with these important components or you need repairs in some other portion of your unit, it pays to call on someone who knows. Here in Jacksonville, FL, furnace repairs can be made by the experts at AC Designs, Inc. Call us today to make an appointment and let us show you what we can do!