If you are searching for a new heating system for your home, you have most definitely passed by the term forced-air heating. Most of us tend to ask what is forced air heating? Forced air heating is a method of heating a home or building using a forced-air furnace.
These heating systems have vents and ductwork that are in place for proper air distribution throughout your home. You can easily control the heating system using a thermostat and supply heat throughout the entire house by using a fan through the ductwork.
The ducts in your home aren’t noticeable because the installer hides them in attics, walls, and crawlspaces. The air volume around the house is cycled continuously through the unit system via the return air ducts.
How Does the Forced Air Heating Unit System Function?
The unit system of forced air heating begins with an air compressor that pressurizes the refrigerant. This action creates hot gases that get channelled into either a furnace or boiler, creating heat.
For instance, when you turn on your furnace, the blower draws cool air through the vents inside your house. It sends the air over coils filled with warm refrigerant. The heat exchange process causes the cool air to heat up while at the same time transferring warmth to the refrigerant in the coils.
After this happens, the hot evaporator coil warms up more interior space while sending out this heated air. The cooled-off gas goes back into the compressor to reheat it again.
How To Operate a Forced Air Heating System
Depending on the temperature setting, we often use a thermostat to control the heating system or furnace and ensure the unit is off or on. Once you turn on the system, it must generate heat, and the fan present in the fan ensures that it propels air over the heating elements present in the furnace or the heat exchanger.
Air ducts and registers help distribute warm air or hot air throughout your place. You can easily adjust your registers to control the direction and amount of airflow all over your home. Electricity flow or the gas ignition to the elements halted when it achieves the required temperature.
How to Properly Maintain Your Forced Air Heating Unit System
Now, you are already aware of what forced-air heating is and how it functions in distributing warm air throughout the house. We are going to discuss how to maintain your forced air heating unit system properly. For any forced-air heating unit systems, you must maintain the air filters present.
In case the air filters present in your system are clogged, this will, in turn, force the whole system to work even more complex and run for longer durations than before to distribute heat throughout the house.
During the winter season, you need to clean or instead replace the furnace’s air filters each month and at least after every two to three months during the remaining part of the current year.
A furnace tune-up from an HVAC technician or professional is mandatory, especially when entering the winter season. There are more than a dozen activities and tasks that you should complete to complete a full tune-up of your furnace successfully.
However, it would be best if you won’t do this by yourself. You could schedule a call with an HVAC technician or a professional that will assist you in checking and inspecting all the components in the furnace. This way, they will successfully carry out the tune-up process to start your forced air heating unit system and keep it running all winter long.
Important steps in maintaining your heating unit
Some of the tasks that are in the furnace tune-up manual include:
- Please do not block the supply or return registers as it reduces airflow and can affect your heating system’s efficiency.
- Inspect the furnace’s heat exchanger and ensure that it functions properly.
- Examine the inducer motor present in the forced-air heating systems.
- Check and ensure that the system appropriately balances the blower motor, and the blower motor itself is in good shape.
- Ensure that the HVAC technician has carried out the combustion analysis on your home’s furnace. It is necessary before you begin using it all winter long.
- Check the temperature difference of air between the supply air and return air.
Upgrade the Thermostat
As of now, you are already aware of forced air heating and how it functions. Upgrading the thermostat could improve air heating and distribution throughout your living space. The old type of thermostat tends to cause the homeowners a lot of problems.
They tend to make it very difficult for the homeowner to adjust and also determine the home’s temperature and also be able to switch the heater off or on. In case back at home, if you are still using the old types of thermostats, then it is time that you look for an upgrade.
Ensure that you choose a programmable thermostat that allows the homeowner to adjust and determine the temperature easily at any time of the week or day. Keeping the home’s temperature low when no one is present or when you and your family are asleep will ensure that you can save a lot of money throughout the current season.
When installing the brand new thermostat, ensure that you call an HVAC professional or technician. They will assist you to properly install the thermostat and ensure that all the sensors are in their proper place.
What is Forced Air Heating – Conclusion
As of now, you already have a bit of knowledge about this heating system and how it functions in our homes to ensure that we are safe and comfortable. In conclusion, you need to care for your forced-air heating unit system throughout the cold season. It requires regular maintenance to provide warmth all the time.
You also need to update your thermostat if it uses the old type for faster and more efficient results. Throughout the cold seasons, you do not need to use much electricity or energy when running your heating unit. However, ensure that you keep it clean at all times for maximum efficiency.
