A blower motor is an electric motor located inside the air handler of a gas furnace. The motor powers the blower fan, enabling it to circulate warm air throughout the ductwork and into the indoor space. If the blower motor is faulty, the fan will run intermittently or fail to work, causing heating issues throughout the home. You have to replace the faulty motor to restore the circulation of heated air in your home. Below are three signs your gas furnace has a malfunctioning blower motor.
Reduced Heat Output and Uneven Heating
The blower motor powers the fan and allows it to push heated air into the ductwork. If the motor is faulty, the fan won't work correctly. It may run at a low speed or start and stop intermittently. As a result, the heat output from the furnace will reduce, despite the heat exchanger working correctly. This means there won't be sufficient heated air to warm the entire home. Therefore, there will be low airflow and uneven heating throughout the building. Rooms farther away from the furnace may experience little or no heating.
Poor Indoor Air Quality
As air circulates through the supply and return ductwork, it is heated and filtered. The furnace filters trap pollutants, such as dirt, debris, pet hair, and mold, improving the quality of the air supplied to the home. If the blower motor isn't working correctly, there will be low airflow in the ducts. As a result, the system will take longer to filter the air in the home. Pollutants will linger in indoor spaces for a longer time, lowering the quality of the air. Therefore, if you are experiencing poor air quality coupled with uneven heating and reduced airflow, check your furnace's blower motor for defects.
Overheating Furnace
Gas furnaces cycle on and off to meet the demand for heated air in the home. Once the indoor spaces attain the preset thermostat temperature, the furnace turns off. If the system has a faulty blower motor, it will take longer to heat the home. As a result, the gas will burn for a longer period than it should, causing the furnace components to overheat. Below are the signs of an overheating furnace.
Overheating can cause the furnace to trip its safety switch and turn off unexpectedly. When this happens, don't reset the safety switch without fixing the blower motor. The excess heat emitted by the furnace can cause damage to its internal components.
If you notice any of these signs, turn off your furnace immediately to prevent overheating and damage to the components. Contact a company such as Paris Heating and Cooling for immediate furnace repair.
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