All About Furnace Smells

When you turned on your furnace for the first chilly weather this fall, you may have been aware of a burning smell pervading the home. As most homeowners know, this furnace smell is nothing more than the dust that's collected on the combustion chamber during the time the furnace is unused. The dust quickly burns up when the furnace is turned on. It's nothing to worry about, as long as it does not persist past a couple of hours.A very strong burning smell, or a persistent burning smell is, however, something you should be concerned about. Common causes of persistent burning odors are dirty air filters blocking the heating system and perhaps causing overheating, or blower malfunction. You can change the filter and see if the burning smell goes away. But if it's a blower malfunction, you will need professional help.

Other Common Furnace Smells

Rotten Egg Smell

This smell usually signals a gas leak. Turn the furnace off and open windows. Then clear out, taking all the living creatures in the home with you, and call your gas company. They will have to fix the leak before the HVAC tech can work on the furnace.

Electrical/Metallic Smells

This might be a burning odor, indicating components inside the furnace are getting too hot. If you smell this type of odor and the furnace shuts down randomly, it may be a protective mechanism. Call your HVAC company right away.You may also smell unfamiliar odors associated with the burning caused by aging or worn parts made of metal or rubber. Again, you'll need an HVAC tech to identify the source of the smells and replace the parts before they malfunction and cause damage.

Musty or Moldy Smell

This is a problem more commonly associated with the air conditioner. However, if you have damp conditions inside your home or your HVAC system, and mold spores have taken hold inside the parts or the ductwork or vents, have your HVAC tech check it out.

For more on identifying a furnace smell, contact Air Assurance. We serve Broken Arrow and the surrounding area.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about furnaces and other HVAC topics, call us at 918-217-8273. Credit/Copyright Attribution: “piotr-marcinski/Shutterstock”

Learn the Components of Your Furnace

How much do you know about your furnace? You turn it on and heat comes out. The higher the thermostat temperature, the more energy you use. How much more do you need to know than that? Well, it can be helpful to learn at least a few basics about your system and how it works. At minimum, it will help you communicate more effectively with your HVAC technician, to diagnose repairs more quickly. So here's a breakdown of some of the basic components of your furnace and what they do.

Blower Motor

Found at the base of your unit, this is an electric motor, attached to a fan, which distributes air evenly through the system.

Supply Plenum

The duct through which that air is distributed to your home.

Heat Exchanger

This is what transfers heat from the natural gas being burned for fuel to the air that warms your home. A small chamber with metal walls, the gas enters the exchanger, and the heat is absorbed. The gas is then cooled and removed from your home. During this process, the blower motor blows air past the exchanger, absorbing the heat from the metal, before it enters the supply plenum, where it can be distributed to the rest of your ductwork and heat your home.

Air Filter

Captures dust and other contaminants as air flows through your system. It's meant to keep your blower motor free of debris, but has the added benefit of providing cleaner air to breathe. Be sure to change your filter regularly, or it can reduce airflow, damaging your system.

Flue

A bit like a chimney, the flue is a duct through which exhaust can exit your home, as your system burns fuel. If it's not vented properly, then carbon monoxide can get into your living space, putting you and your family in danger. If your heating system is electrical and doesn't burn fuel, then it won't have a flue.

To learn more about your furnace and how it works, contact us at Air Assurance. We've been Broken Arrow's trusted source for quality HVAC solutions since 1985.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about furnace components and other HVAC topics, call us at 918-217-8273. Credit/Copyright Attribution: “petelinforth/Pixabay”

Furnace Motor Replacement: ECM or PSC

If you're replacing a heating system with a standard blower motor, it's worthwhile investigating different furnace motor replacement options such as an electronically commutated motor (ECM). Here's a look at how standard permanent split capacitor motors compare to more technologically-advanced ECM motors.

Permanent Split Capacitor Motors (PSC)

Standard PSC motors have just two operating modes: off and on. When signaled by the thermostat, these single-speed motors start up and run on high, then cycle off when the temperature setting is reached.

Electronically Commutated Motors (ECM)

An ECM motor can vary its speed in response to changes in your home's heating needs. The motor cycles on slowly and runs for longer periods on the lowest speed necessary to maintain comfort. When more warm air output is needed, it speeds automatically.

PSC Vs. ECM Motors

Here are some additional factors to consider so you can compare how PSC and ECM motors perform and make a more informed decision on which type is the best choice for your home:

• Energy consumption. A furnace blower unit equipped with a variable-speed ECM motor uses up to 75 percent less electricity than a blower that's powered by a PSC motor.

• Maintenance needs. An ECM motor has "true" bearings that don't need lubrication, it starts, ramps up and stops "softly" and runs on low speed most of the time. Because an ECM motor is under less strain and subject to less wear than a PSC unit, it requires less maintenance.

• Temperature control. With its longer cycling and variable-speed operation, an ECM motor can provide more consistent temperatures and better humidity control than a one-speed PSC unit that cycles on and off frequently.

• Equipment lifespan. ECM motors have an expected lifespan of about 90,000 hours, compared to PSC motors that typically last for 40,000–50,000 hours.

• Air filtration. The prolonged cycling of an ECM motor also means that the indoor air gets pulled through the furnace filter more often, so it's able to remove more debris from your air supply.

To learn more about different furnace motor replacement options for your Broken Arrow home, contact us at Air Assurance.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about motor replacement and other HVAC topics, call us at 918-217-8273. Credit/Copyright Attribution: “feng-yu/Shutterstock”

Things to Consider for Furnace Installation

Upgrading to a new furnace is an important step towards improved home comfort and lower energy bills. Furnace installation is a lengthier and more complex process than installing simpler appliances, however. In order to get the most benefit from your new furnace and to ensure installation goes smoothly, keep in mind the following things.

Furnace Installation Should be Completed by a Professional

Poorly installed furnaces pose serious safety hazards, such as the risk of a fire or carbon monoxide poisoning. Only allow a licensed technician to install your new heating system. Professional HVAC contractors understand the importance of following special guidelines for furnace installation. These include:

• Calculating the heating load — A load calculation is necessary in order to determine the correct furnace size for your home. An undersized or oversized furnace will cost you money and won’t give you the best in comfort. Many variables, such as number of occupants, the home’s insulation, number of windows and type of windows, and the number of levels to the home figure into this calculation.

• Placement — A furnace requires sufficient clearance to allow sufficient airflow and maintenance access. Your contractor will also follow local codes regarding distance between the furnace and combustible materials.

• Ductwork — Before installation begins, a contractor should check your home’s ducts to ensure they are compatible and in good repair. Cracks in the ductwork or poor duct design will diminish your new furnace’s efficiency.

Prepare Your Space

The furnace installer will need enough room to work safely and comfortably. You can help by clearing a path to the furnace area and then cleaning the area itself of debris. Move items into another room or at least away from the work area and make sure pets are safely confined in another area of the home.Professional technicians clean up after they are finished. Your home doesn’t need to be spotless, but it is very helpful if the area is clear of furnishings or anything else that could get in the way.

For more information about furnace installation in your Broken Arrow home, please contact us at Air Assurance.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). Credit/Copyright Attribution: “Neil-Lockhart/Shutterstock”

How to Reduce the Load on Your Furnace

You've probably heard the terms "heating load" or "cooling load" in reference to the furnace and air conditioner. Sometimes experts advise reducing these loads on the HVAC system to save money on utility bills. Heating and cooling loads will also affect the size of the furnace or air conditioner you need. Here's a brief explanation of these terms and how understanding them can help you save.

Defining Heating (and Cooling) Loads

Load refers to how much heat has to be added or removed in a space to achieve a desired temperature range. When you're planning to upgrade your heating system, your HVAC consultant will refer to your home's heating load, or how much capacity a furnace must have to heat the home to the desired temperature. Reducing the load means finding ways to make the home more efficient so a system with a lower capacity can be installed. It also means preventing heated air from escaping the home — and cold air from infiltrating — so that the furnace works efficiently to achieve the temperature set points.

Heating and cooling loads are determined by software calculations, based on input from data collected on the home, including square footage, how many and what size windows, the home's orientation, insulation and many other factors. The software calculates the home's heating or cooling load so that the consultant can determine what size HVAC system is needed. The more efficient the home, the smaller the heating or cooling load, and the less heating or cooling capacity an HVAC system will need.

Increasing Efficiency

Here are a few things you can do to reduce your heating load this winter and lower your bills:

• Caulk or install weatherstripping around windows and doors to keep out drafts.

• Install a door sweep on exterior doors.

• Install insulation around pipes, cables and wiring that enter through holes in exterior walls.

• Insulate electrical switches in exterior walls.

• Add insulation in attics and walls. Attic insulation should be above joists.

To learn more about reducing the load on your furnace, contact Air Assurance. We've served the Broken Arrow area for 30 years.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). Credit/Copyright Attribution: “Imagentle/Shutterstock”

Troubleshooting Tips for Common Furnace Problems

No one wants to be sitting at home the middle of January when suddenly your furnace conks out. Or realizing after successive nights of shivering in bed that your furnace isn't keeping your house warm. Furnace problems do happen, unfortunately, and the sooner you're able to diagnose those problems, the better chance you'll have of fixing them yourself, or at least of being able to easily explain the problem to a service person. Here are some troubleshooting tips for common furnace problems:

Your Furnace Won't Work at All

This could be a number of issues, but you'll want to check the obvious and easiest ones to fix first. Is the furnace getting power? Check the on-off switch (if it has one), then go to the breaker box and make sure the circuit breaker hasn't tripped. If that's not the issue, check the thermostat. Is it set to "heat"? Is the temperature set above the temperature in the room?

If you have an older furnace, has the pilot light gone out? Relight it. If it goes out again, it's time to call the service technician. Same goes if the electronic ignition isn't working properly, though this will be more difficult to diagnose on your own.

If you hear rattling or banging inside the furnace before the it shuts down, you could have loose or detached parts, or maybe a belt has slipped. You might be able to reattach the belt, though mechanical issues with the motor will require professional help.

Clogged burners in the furnace will result in substandard heating and eventually may shut down the system. Annual maintenance should prevent this and other common furnace problems.

If the Furnace Won't Heat Properly

This could be a number of issues, some of which you can address yourself while others may require service. The air filter could be clogged, the ductwork might be dirty or leaking, mechanical parts may need cleaning or lubrication, or perhaps you just need a new furnace.

For help addressing furnace problems in your Broken Arrow area home, please contact us at Air Assurance.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). Credit/Copyright Attribution: “docstockmedia/Shutterstock”

Find Out How a Variable-Speed Furnace Works

Why settle for outdated, on/off heating when new variable-speed furnace technology excels in both comfort and energy efficiency? You may not realize it, but if you’re heating with gas like most Oklahomans, the cost of the electricity to operate the forced-air furnace blower is a major contributor to your heating expenses. Most installed furnaces incorporate a blower with a PSC (permanent split capacitor) motor. It’s an old-school energy hog and only operates at two speeds: on and off. A variable-speed furnace blower incorporates ECM (electronically commutated motor) technology programmed to circulate air continuously across a wide range of output speeds keyed to the heating requirements of the home.

Maybe it's time to move up to 21st-century heating technology and upgrade to a variable-speed furnace. Here’s an overview of the advantages.

More Consistent Heating

Conventional PSC furnaces create noticeable temperature swings in the home. As the blower cycles on and off repeatedly, temperatures may swerve from 10 degrees above the thermostat setting to 10 degrees below. Rooms are always overly warm or too chilly. A variable-speed ECM blower runs at low output continuously, maintaining comfort levels close to the thermostat setting at all times.

Lower Operating Costs

A typical PSC furnace blower guzzles over 500 watts of electricity when it's energized. A variable-speed ECM blower consumes less than 100 watts, substantially reducing the electrical component of your heating costs.

Improved Filtration

The air filter in your heating system protects indoor air quality—as long as air circulates through the filter. When a conventional system blower cycles off every few minutes, circulation stops and filtration ceases. Optimum air quality is also on-and-off. Because a variable-speed blower runs continuously, air filtration never stops and the indoor environment improves.

Longer Component Life

A conventional motor runs at full-blast output and turns on and off repeatedly, incurring substantial wear and tear. Variable-speed blowers run consistently at reduced output and stay cooler. This reduces wear and contributes to greater reliability and a longer expected service.

For more advantages of upgrading to a variable-speed furnace, contact the heating professionals at Air Assurance.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). Credit/Copyright Attribution: “Gustavo Frazao/Shutterstock”

Important Tips to Consider When Purchasing a New Furnace

Buying a new furnace for your home may seem like a daunting task, but with the right information, you can easily choose a heating system that will serve your needs for many years to come. The following tips can help you identify what's important in a new furnace.

• Efficiency: The efficiency of your new furnace will determine how effectively it heats your home and how much it will cost to maintain indoor comfort during the colder months. Higher-efficiency models use less fuel and, as a result, provide heating for a lower cost. Look for a furnace with a high AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) rating, usually 90 or above.

• Size: Proper furnace sizing is essential to buying a system that works well for your home. Sizing, in HVAC terms, refers to the system's capacity to produce heat and keep your indoor living spaces at the temperature you prefer. Have your HVAC professional perform a load calculation on your home. This is a detailed evaluation process that determines exactly how much heating is needed. When you have this information, you can easily find a furnace of the correct size.

• Fuel type: Most often, you'll probably want to buy a new furnace that uses the same type of fuel as your old one. If you have a gas furnace, for example, you'll already have the utility connections in place for a new gas model. However, there are circumstances where you might want to change fuel types or switch to an electric furnace. Ask your HVAC expert for advice.

• Efficiency-boosting features: Additional components can be added to your furnace to boost performance and efficiency even higher. Variable-speed blowers, for example, provide a lower speed for use when less heating is required. This lower speed uses less energy and costs less to operate. Dual heat exchangers improve heat transfer functions.

Air Assurance offers expert heating and cooling services to customers in Tulsa and neighboring areas. Contact us today for more information on how to choose a new furnace and for expert help with selecting, installing and maintaining your heating system.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). Credit/Copyright Attribution: “Dirk Ercken/Shutterstock”

Why Get Furnace Maintenance Before the Heating Season Starts?

While it's still early in the fall, it's not too early to begin thinking about scheduling furnace maintenance. If you wait until the busy late fall/early winter HVAC season, you may have trouble scheduling a timely appointment. A professional furnace maintenance tuneup will provide multiple benefits, including energy efficiency, safety, and comfort.

Why Is Regular Furnace Maintenance So Important?

• Energy efficiency - The technician will check every component of your furnace, as well as the ductwork and registers. He or she will check the air filter, lubricate moving parts in the blower, make sure the burner(s) are clean, and check the ignition system for proper operation. Any worn or malfunctioning parts will be repaired or replaced. A cleanly burning, efficiently operating furnace will save energy every month, ensuring that it's operating at or near its Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) rating.

• Safety - The technician will examine the furnace and exhaust system to make sure nothing poses a risk of fire or toxic emissions. Carbon monoxide (CO) is a byproduct of fuel combustion and in a properly operating furnace will be safely removed from the home. However, if exhaust pipes are not connected properly or the furnace heat exchanger is cracked—among other issues—CO may escape into the home, threatening occupants with injury or death.

• Comfort - The more efficiently your furnace operates, the quicker and more evenly your home will heat. Problems with air distribution and ductwork can erode comfort in a home.

• Long-term savings - An efficient combustion furnace will save on utility bills over the long haul. Plus, having a trained technician inspect the furnace annually will ensure that small problems won't develop into large ones and extend the service life of your furnace.

At Air Assurance, we offer an Extended Service Plan that includes annual maintenance on both your heating and cooling systems. This offers a number of benefits and savings. However, you're also welcome to schedule a fall furnace maintenance appointment on its own. To discuss proper care for your home's heating system, please contact us at Air Assurance, serving Broken Arrow and the surrounding area.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).Credit/Copyright Attribution: “Globalphotogroup/Shutterstock”