Faulty Furnace Fan? Possible Repair Issues To Consider

While creating heat from electricity, heating oil, propane, natural gas, coal or wood is the main job of the home furnace, it must also be able to move the heat it produces to where it is needed.

Older homes were often designed with a compact footprint, multiple stories, and a system of grates and vents to allow heat to rise naturally from the basement or ground-floor level to rooms on upper levels. Since most home designs today have a larger, more sprawling configuration, HVAC ducts, vents and powerful furnace fans are needed to move the heat throughout the home. 

If the fan ceases to work properly, even though the furnace continues to produce the same amount of heat, the home soon begins to feel uncomfortable. Homeowners who are dealing with a faulty furnace fan may be facing one or more of the following repair issues. 

Noisy fan operation

If the furnace fan is currently making noise or operated noisily before it stopped working, the most obvious repair possibilities could include damage to the fan blades, bearings or belt. Like a car, the belts on furnace fans are subject to wear, stretching and damage, resulting in a need for a new belt or an adjustment of an existing one to remove slack. 

If the belt looks normal and does not have obvious signs of wear or damage, the noisy operation could be caused by damage to the fan blades or wear or damage to the bearings. Worn or damaged fan blades, bearings or belts can cause excessive noise when operating, including squealing, grinding, shrieking or whining. 

Fan is not operational

If the furnace's fan refuses to start, possible repair issues can include a non-working blower motor or a failure of wiring or electrical components, such as switches, that control the fan's operation. If the furnace uses fuel, such as oil or gas, to create heat, and the fan has suddenly stopped operating, homeowners should first check the electrical panel and any control switches on the unit to rule out the possibility that a circuit breaker was tripped or an electrical switch was accidentally turned off. 

If no problems are found with the power supply, the problem may be caused by an internal wiring or electrical component failure. Homeowners who noticed smells, such as those associated with overheated wiring, or unusual humming noises shortly before the furnace fan failed may be also be dealing with a failed blower motor that will need to be replaced. 

To learn more about why your furnace fan has stopped working and the repair options you may be facing, seek out the advice of a heating repair contractor in your area. 


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