How Does An Electric Furnace Work

Do you know a study conducted by Lancet in 2015, studied over 75 million deaths? It was found that about the reason for 7% of deaths were attributed to cold temperatures.

Therefore cost-effective home heating is crucial to achieve. HVAC systems cater to a wide range of advantages from comfort with temperature control to a healthier environment, secure from diseases. Moreover, various heating appliances come with an air filter, blowing cleaner air. These contraptions are equipped with tools that clean bacteria, dust particles and microfiber from the air, reducing the risk of asthma, stroke, heart attack, bronchitis and more diseases. Clean and warm air also maintains progressive indoor plant growth and prevents mildew.

In the advanced realm of electric heating, People are switching to Electric furnaces for heating homes. Electric furnace offers several benefits as it is energy efficient and is able to convert every single electric charge into heat for warming homes. It is cheap and provides easy installation, with half of the cost of a gas furnace.

Additionally, Electric furnaces are durable and long-lasting. If they are maintained with proper care, they can last up to 20-30 years. It also cleans the air before conditioning it for a warmer temperature and avoids the requirement of natural gas, ensuring a secure outcome.

Overview Of Working Of Electric Furnace?

Now the question arises, How do electric furnaces work? Working and installing of electric furnace is easy. An electric furnace is similar to a gas furnace but requires electricity for work instead.

An electric furnace works with the assistance of a thermostat to detect temperature, whether it is below the fixed point. If the temperature is below the set point, the blower fan and the heating elements are turned on automatically. The blower starts blowing air onto the heating element, warming the air.

The electric furnace has about three to six heating elements. Each with converting capacity of about 3.5-7 kW of electricity to heat. The electric heater controls temperature with the operation of ducts over each room. After the air is warmed and the temperature is achieved the blower and the heating element automatically turn off.

A home heating electric furnace is highly efficient as it converts every electrical charge into heat. This operation is carried out through several components as defined below.

The Key Components Of An Electric Furnace

• Heating element

The heating element of an electric furnace consists of long electric wires that are wounded into a coil inside the furnace. These wires are made of highly electrical-resistant metal. Mostly nickel and chromium are used for this purpose. When electrical charges pass through the wire, the resistance faced by the charges produces heat.

The heating element is further constructed of a few parts that include

• Heat Relays :

Heat relays provide some switches that control the flow of electric charges into the heating element.

• Plenum:

It is a small area inside the furnace that collects air and assists it to move more efficiently allowing a quick heating process.

• Power Relays:

This part consists of switches that control the amount of power drawn out of the heating element.

• Blower fan

A blower fan is a motor inside the electric furnace. When it is switched on, the air is blown into the furnace with the help of that fan or motor for heating purposes.

A blower is also utilized by the electric furnace to blow air into the dusk. The warm air from the blow passes through the dusk and enters the rooms. A blower is turned off once the desired temperature is achieved.

• Thermostat

A thermostat consists of temperature-reliant switches that are either turned on or off. It is integrated into an electric furnace.

The switches are turned on when there is a decline in the set temperature. This lets the blower and the heating element to start operating. It indicates the working of the electric furnace when required. Once the set point of temperature is obtained the thermostat is turned off, causing the other components of the electric furnace to stop working.

• Control system

The Control system is meant to regulate the working of the blower and heating element, ensuring they work properly to achieve the desired temperature without any issues.

• Ductwork

Ductswork comprises of either return ducts or supply ducts. These ducts are installed on the top of the room in the unvented attic. They regulate air either entering the furnace or the rooms for warming purposes. They need to be installed and maintained properly to ensure warm and quality air throughout the room.

• Return ducts

The return ducts are used to pull the air inside, from the rooms. This air passes through the ducts into the furnace for heating. The air is then operated on the heating elements.

• Supply ducts

The supply duct is the opposite of the return duct. The heated air in the furnaces is directed by the blower through the supply ducts, into the room. The conditioned air is moved into the room through these ducts.

• Air Filter

The air filter is an important component of the electric furnace. The filtration system charges the unwanted particles. These dust particles and microfiber become heavy and fall, thus purifying air and preventing diseases like asthma, bronchitis, and other lung diseases. The air filter ensures clean air throughout the room.

Benefits Of Using An Electric Furnace

Electric furnace offers a wide range of benefits that makes it a top choice for home heating. It is easy to install and provides a number of environmental benefits and efficient heating.

It has become a common part of modern-day households for providing clean air and avoiding energy and health issues encountered by other heating appliances.

• Environmental Benefits

The utilization of electric furnaces is highly secure for the environment. It doesn’t require the use of natural gas as employed in the gas furnace. This ensures a secure environment.

Moreover, electric furnace avoids the emission of carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide is a harmful gas, emitted through other heating appliances. It causes dizziness, weakness, and headache.

• Efficiency

Electric furnaces are highly efficient and effective. Electricity that flows into the furnace is completely converted into heat. While a gas furnace releases some of the energy after combustion through the flue.

Every electrical charge that passes through the wires of the heating element is converted into heat, used to warm air.

• Quiet operation

The electric furnace is also very beneficial for ensuring quiet operation. It works without the loud distracting noises of the fan/ blower or the heating element. There is no pilot light that glows inside the furnace. This makes the environment highly comfortable and free from unwanted noises.

• Easy maintenance

The factor of being maintained easily, also makes it highly desirable. Although professional maintenance is required, while routine remedies may also be equipped to properly maintain an electric furnace. If electric furnace components are maintained, it can increase its lasting capability from 15-20 years to 20-30 years.

• Precise temperature control

An electric furnace is precise in controlling temperature throughout the house. The temperature control system coordinates the working of the thermostat, blower, and heater to ensure proper functionality of the electric furnace and a comfortable outcome.

• Quicker heating

Heating is quicker in an electric furnace. It can provide up to 95 Celcius of temperature that can be maintained. As compared to other heating appliances it outruns them with faster and secure performance.

• Lower costs

An electric furnace that controls the temperature of all the rooms of your house is affordable. It costs 1000$ to 4000$ on average for anyone to buy an electric furnace. Proper maintenance and on-time repairs make it worth it and last for 20 to 30 years.

Tips To Maintain The Electric Furnace

It is preferred for professional maintenance of the electric furnace. However, a furnace can also be maintained with certain routine remedies and tips. The following tips need to be considered to ensure optimal functioning of the components of the electric furnace.

Inspecting electric furnace components

It is necessary to regularly inspect the components of the electric furnace including the blower, ducts, and more components to identify issues and proper working.

Optimization of Thermostat

Proper optimization must be done with the thermostat for a comfortable environment. In order to maintain the transformer. It requires cleaning it regularly and replacing the batteries on time, which contributes to good working.

Inspection of Ventilation system

A proper ventilation system is necessary for a cozy environment. It is ensured through such measures as replacing air filters regularly, cleaning ducts, and checking the air exchange rates by maintaining ducts, inspecting the fan and more.

Checking Heat exchanger

Proper inspection of the heating elements includes error-free operation of heat relays, power relays, and plenum for the proper function of the heating element of the furnace.

Insights Into Regular Maintenance Routines.

Even though Careful assessment of the components and timely professional maintenance is required. Proper maintenance routine if applied at home, to a furnace, can increase the longevity of usage of the appliance. Electric furnaces will also be less prone to issues and problems. Regular home maintenance includes:

• Change the air filters at least once in 90 days for cleaner air and a proper filtration process.
• Check the batteries of the thermostat. Batteries of a thermostat can last up to a year but need to be checked for proper working.
• Clean ducts by entering the vacuum pipe in the duct as far as it can go and proper vacuuming for cleaning the ducts.
• Clean the area around the furnace to avoid forming debris around the fan.
• Inspect components carefully for repairs, better assistance, and prevent larger issues by consulting professionals.

Professional Maintenance

Defects can be encountered if your electric furnace is not turning on, making unnecessary sounds, or taking too long to heat.

How do you solve these problems?

Through quality maintenance! Top-graded maintenance from a qualified expert includes thorough cleaning, checking, repairing, adjusting, and testing of all the components of the furnace and making sure they work properly.An experienced person makes the complete assessment of all the parts and ensures efficient performance. Professional maintenance of electric furnace includes the following steps:

1. Replace the Air Filters

Airfilter is an essential part of the HVAC systems. It cleans air from dust, dirt, fungi, and microfiber. Your home’s atmosphere becomes soothing and less prone to contaminants, which may cause diseases. For proper maintenance air filters of a furnace need to be replaced regularly. On average air filter of a furnace must be replaced once every 3 months. The air filter can be replaced with the following process.

1. Turn off the furnace
2. Locate the service panel
3. Near the blower fan slide out the filter
4. Put the new filter
5. Turn on the furnace now.

2. Blower Maintenance

Blowers are essential for making air enter into the furnace and also blowing air out to dusk. It needs to be maintained properly for dust or debris and smooth working of the fan blades. To access the blower/fan of the furnace.

1. Turn off the blowers
2. Unplug the furnace access panel.

Check the fans, and whether the blades are rotating smoothly. Replace if it requires changing. Some fans have belts. Examine the belt for better condition and whether it is tensioned accurately.

3. Humidifier Maintenance

A humidifier is also an important element of the furnace. A humidifier regulates the humidity level in the room. It also consists of switches and sensors which are alerted on varying humidity levels. It prevents dry lips, nose, and skin, reduce allergies, and more. A humidifier should be maintained once a month. Maintenance of the humidifier involves the following step

1. Turn the humidifier off
2. Remove the drum
3. Check the pad for dirt and clean it if required
4. Check the water level of the drum
5. Reassemble the drum and turn on the humidifier.

4. Heating Element Maintenance

The heating element’s good condition must be assured. For faster performance heating elements must be maintained. Heating elements consist of strip sets, consisting of relays, and sequencers. It might happen that some strips are not working properly while some do. It is required to tighten or replace these strips for proper functioning. The heating element wires are also required to go through adequate inspection by an expert.

5. Inspect Thermostat

It is essential to check the thermostat for proper working. Improper detection of the temperature may cause problems. Additionally, the thermostat battery needs to be checked and replaced if not working properly.

Sometimes a thermostat is not working properly which may be due to loose wires, or dead batteries, which require replacement or tightening. Also use a multitester to check the voltage flow of the thermostat is accurate. This avoids excess energy wastage through maintenance and professional support.

6. Inspect the DuctWork

Ducts need to be cleaned thoroughly. It ensures equal distribution of heat throughout the rooms for controlling temperature. Professional ways of cleaning dusk include:

1. Visual inspection of the ducts
2. Using a vacuum for suckin dirt and debris through the ducts
3. Take each duct register and clean each separately.
4. Assemble the registers back to their position

The cleaning and maintenance process is carried out by an expert to prevent damage to the components and better performance.

Final Thoughts:

The electric furnace is a part of the electrical HVAC system for controlling home temperature humidity and more. It provides cost-effective heating, clean air, quiet operation, high efficiency, and various other benefits that make it stand out above many of the market heating systems.

The blog details how does an Electric furnaces works? Along with the functioning of its components such as thermostats, blowers, ducts, heating elements, and more. Additionally, electric furnaces is affordable. It may cost 1000$ to 4000$ and last up to 30 years. To achieve such smooth operation, proper maintenance by a professional is required as he brings experience in preventing damage to components and optimal working of the electric furnace.