Furnaces are so common in the United States that we could talk all day about the benefits they provide. It’s pretty obvious to see why homeowners choose these systems over others time and time again. They’re effective, efficient, and overwhelmingly safe to operate.
That all being said, we’re surprised to hear how little homeowners know about their own furnaces. For being such complicated pieces of machinery, homeowners often believe wild misconceptions about these systems because of how little they need to know. Our days can only be filled with so much learning before you need a nap, right?
Well, what if we told you that learning about your furnace in Albuquerque, NM could actually save you money? The difference between knowing you need a repair and being unsure could mean a thousand extra dollars in your wallet. We’re not kidding, and we aim to help you save by talking about your furnace and how it works today.
How It Works: Your Furnace
Furnaces work similarly to how they used to over a hundred years ago. Furnaces have burnt materials for centuries, from wood to coal, and now they run more efficiently and effectively by burning natural gas.
Your furnace funnels natural gas into a combustion chamber using gas injectors. Once injected, the ignition is sparked and a flame burns the gas at a steady rate which produces heat. However, this also produces carbon monoxide and steam. While this chamber burns the gas and heats up, your system’s heat exchanger takes the heat and exchanges it with fresh air from your home. Eventually, using blowers, the hot air is distributed throughout your home through ductwork and you feel the comfortable temperatures you’re used to at a minimal price.
The Flue and Exhaust
Notice how your furnace required a heat exchanger to provide comfortable temperatures to the rooms of your house? That’s because the fumes that come from the combustion of natural gas can be toxic to inhale. Carbon monoxide, excess gas, and other chemicals can be harmful to the point of being fatal if they’re released into your home.
Just like a chimney, a furnace has a flue that exhausts the fumes out into our atmosphere. Your home remains safe from these toxic chemicals and your air remains easy to breathe. Just remember that if you notice anything wrong with this process, your flue could be broken or your could be dealing with a busted heat exchanger.
Higher Efficiency Levels
The AFUE rating of a furnace stands for the annual fuel utilization efficiency, and it’s the ratio of fuel burned to heat produced. The higher an AFUE rating is, the more heat you’re getting out of the natural gas in your home, which always leads to lower heating bills down the line. Investing a system with a high AFUE rating so you can get the most out of your heater.
Don’t Hesitate to Call Us
We want you to be informed about your heater and the heating process so that you can better tell when something is off. If you’re running into strange occurrences with your system, or your heater is making weird and uncomfortable noises, then we advise you to call us. Our team can help, regardless of what you think the problem is.
Contact First Rate Plumbing Heating and Cooling Inc for quality work, exuberant service.