Wintertime in Albany, OR, includes plenty of cold air, which means you’ll probably turn to your home’s furnace for relief. Most people don’t spend much time thinking about their furnaces, especially if they’re operating correctly. Knowing how your furnace works, though, helps you know when to take action for any issues and gives you peace of mind about your home’s safety and comfort.
Components of a Furnace
Your home’s furnace consists of one large, sealed unit inside your home. This unit contains the combustion chamber, gas supply, burner, ignition or pilot light and heat exchanger. Next to the furnace is the blower unit. It contains a fan and air filter. Your home’s heating system also includes a flue, which ventilates exhaust gases to the outdoors. The thermostat controls the heating system’s cycling.
Start of a Heating Cycle
When the air temperature in your home drops below the set point of your thermostat, the thermostat triggers the start of a heating cycle. The gas supply valve opens, and the pilot, intermittent pilot, hot surface ignitor or direct spark ignition ignites the burner. The flame of the burning gas heats the heat exchanger. Exhaust gases are ventilated through the flue.
Hot Air Reaches Your Rooms
The air blower pushes air across the heat exchanger. It passes through the filter and into your home’s ductwork. The forced-air system keeps blowing the air so that it goes all the way through the ducts and enters your home’s rooms through the supply vents, which are typically located close to the floor. Return vents, located close to the ceiling, return the cool air back to the furnace for the next heating cycle.
Not in need of furnace maintenance today? We also offer air conditioner maintenance and heating and cooling repair, installation and replacement services. Our air filters and indoor air quality services help you breathe easier and enjoy a healthier home. If you’re a business owner in or near Albany, you can also turn to us for reliable and affordable commercial HVAC services. To learn more about how your furnace works, contact us at Mike's Heating and Air today.
