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Furnace Guide: 3 Components You Should Know

Furnaces don’t last forever, and even the best furnaces break down occasionally. A faulty component can often result in the entire system shutting down, or even worse: can damage to additional components as well. The more you know about how these components function, the better you can understand the ways they affect your heating when they run into problems.

  • Igniter/thermocouple. These two components are basically linked, and sometimes even appear as one conjoined unit. The igniter consists of the pilot light (usually in older furnaces) or an electric igniter (usually in newer ones). The thermocouple controls the flow of gas into the furnace, to ensure that your home isn’t flooded with gas when there’s a problem. If either component is damaged, the furnace simply won’t turn on.
  • Burners. The burners themselves provide the heat, fed by gas that passes through the thermocouple to create hot, intense flames. Burners can malfunction for a variety of reasons, including becoming clogged with dirt and dust.
  • Heat exchangers/venting systems. The heat exchangers transfer the heat from the burners (which often contain toxic gases) into air which can then be blown into your home. The gases move into a venting system which can then safely remove them from your home. The heat exchangers suffer breakdowns when the blowers connected to them malfunction and/or if blockage in the venting system prevents them from releasing the gases.

This furnace guide contains 3 components you should know, but most furnaces contain a great deal more. Hopefully, this will give you a basic idea of how the heating process works and how a breakdown with one component can affect the entire unit. Regardless, if you live in West Chester, OH, furnace repair services can be provided by the professionals at Bartels Heating & Cooling. If you’re experiencing problems with your furnace, pick up the phone and call us today!

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