Calgary gets mighty cold in the winter, and your furnace is your first defense against frigid weather. While the furnace doesn’t have many moving parts, it’s a complex machine, and understanding how your system works can help you troubleshoot problems and effectively communicate with an HVAC technician should something go wrong.
The Thermostat
The thermostat measures the temperature of the air in your rooms and sends a signal to the furnace. Gas enters the system, and the pilot light ignites it in combustion chambers.
The Blower
The blower draws in cold air through the cold air returns, which are the registers that don’t blow warm air.
The Filter
As air moves into the system, it passes through the filter to remove dust and allergens to protect your furnace and improve indoor air quality.
The Heat Exchanger
The cool air flows around the heat exchanger, a hot metal chamber that heats up the air as it passes.
The Plenum
The large metal box at the top of the unit is the plenum, which houses the warm air before it’s blown into the ductwork, which carries the air into your rooms through the heat registers.
The Flue
The flue is the pipe that sends combustion gases outdoors through the roof or a wall.
Preventive Maintenance Keeps Things Working
The best way to ensure each component of your furnace is working properly is to schedule a tuneup in the fall. A professional tuneup includes a number of tasks that improve the energy efficiency and safety of your system, such as:
- Tightening electrical and gas connections.
- Inspecting belts and bearings.
- Testing the controls of the system to ensure proper cycling.
- Testing the thermostat for accuracy.
- Checking for carbon monoxide leaks.
- Inspecting the ductwork for damage.
- Measuring carbon emissions.
Preventive maintenance has a number of far-reaching benefits, including:
- Improved energy efficiency.
- Lower heating bills.
- A lower carbon footprint.
- Better comfort.
- A longer operating life for the system.
- Fewer problems during the heating season.
For more information about how your system works, or to schedule a tuneup, please contact Arpi’s Industries, proudly serving the Calgary area.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Calgary, Alberta about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about TOPIC and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Guide.
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