Understanding How Your Furnace Works

As the weather gets cooler outside, the furnace in your Gruver, Texas, home probably runs much more regularly throughout the winter months. When you understand how the furnace works, it’s easier to know when something isn’t operating properly.

Role of the Thermostat

The thermostat is the part of the heating and air conditioning system that most people use often. You can set it to turn on the heater or air conditioner when the temperature drops below a certain level or rises too high, or you can manage it manually by altering the temperature when it gets uncomfortable. Either way, the thermostat sends an electric signal to the furnace, signaling a valve to open. That valve allows natural gas or oil (depending on your fuel type) to pass through it, which then signals for the burners in the furnace to engage.

Ignition or Pilot Light

Older units have pilot lights, but newer furnaces have an electric ignition that is easier to start. Both the pilot light and the electric ignition light the burner inside the furnace, creating heat in the exchanger that allows warm air to move out of the unit.

How Warm Air Gets to the Rooms

Within the walls of your home, you find ducts that connect to one another as well as to the furnace. After the air is warm enough, it’s pushed through the ducts from the hot-air plenum. If you have a high-efficiency furnace, the combustion gas exits the system through a wall, but most furnaces use a vent in the roof. The ducts are also wrapped in insulation to keep heat in, preventing the air from cooling down as it moves to other rooms. In order to make sure that a specific room receives heat from the furnace, check to be sure the registers are completely open and not obstructed.

If your furnace is blowing cold air, producing strange odors, or having any other issues, give us a call at Winkelman Heating & Air Conditioning Co. at 806-553-4698. We can diagnose the issue and repair it quickly, lessening how much time you’re stuck without a working heating system.

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