Causes of Low Air Flow in Your Furnace
Furnaces are “forced-air” systems: they distribute the heat created in the furnace’s cabinet through ductwork using an air handler. Your furnace’s burners, gas jets, heating elements, and heat exchangers can work perfectly—but without proper airflow, the heat they generate will not reach you. When you discover low airflow coming from your house’s vents, it points toward a possibly serious problem with the furnace.
There are a number of potential causes for a drop in furnace airflow. The list below will give you some diagnostic help discovering what may be causing the problem.
3 Possible Causes of Reduced Airflow From a Furnace
- Clogged air filter: The air filter installed in the furnace’s intake prevents debris from entering the cabinet. It needs to be changed once a month during the height of the heating season, or else the filter will become clogged with dust and dirt and begin to choke off the airflow into the furnace. (A clogged filter can cause other trouble as well, so make sure you have it changed on schedule.)
- Breaks in the ductwork: The sealed ductwork maintains the pressure of the air as it travels from the furnace to the vents. If breaks or gaps appear in the ducts, they will cause the air to escape and air pressure to drop. This will also allow an infiltration of dust into the ducts and a loss of heat. If you notice a musty odor along with the reduced airflow, then duct breaks are a probable cause. You will need professional duct repair and sealing.
- Broken air handler: The air handler of the furnace contains the blower and motors that send the air through the furnace for heat exchange and then into the ventilation system. Damaged or broken motors, bent fan blades, cracked fan belts, and electrical faults can all contribute to an air handler than can’t work at its regular level. The components will need repairs, or the whole air handler may require replacement.
Furnaces Need Professional Repairs
Changing the air filter is something you can take care of on your own, but for any other issues with airflow, you should call professionals to look into the problem and find the best way to remedy it. If changing the filter doesn’t restore your airflow, get on the phone and call Goettl for excellent heating repair.
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2.7.24Jay Cruz, technician, arrived on time today to service/check my ac/heating. Jay arrived timely and was friendly. Jay checked my inside unit, ceiling vents, etc and he made some recommendations. He was easy to talk to and very professional. He will be sending me an email with the recommendations and costs associated so that I can save the money to have these taken care of. I will say, no other technician has been as proficient as Jay.Yesterday, 2.6.24, I received a call from Betty. Betty was also very friendly, professional and knowledgeable. She listened to me and made recommendations and advice. By the end if the call, I felt like Betty was a friend.Thank you to Jay and Betty!Late one evening I was washing clothes. Daughter noticed water on floor under washer. I was so upset and worried about finding someone to fix the problem, whatever it was, and especially the cost. Goettl this the rescue! Namely, their employee/plumber, Chris! The next day, Chris came, found the clog in my pipes, and…voilà! We joined their $14.95 per month plan and that was all we paid for a job well done! Thank you!3.26.24Tyler Leija was great! He checked my drain pipe outside with a camera. Advised everything was clear. He checked my kitchen and master bathroom sinks and toilet. Tyler was friendly, but professional. Thank you.4.17.24Frank M arrived here on time. He was friendly and professional. He explained everything he was going to do today. He completed everything he mentioned. He provided suggestions of things that need or should be taken care of. Nothing urgent. He installed the water heater sensor in addition to other plumbing type things. He drained the water heater. He spoke to his supervisor, Terronne (sp?). Should received estimates for hvac and water heater. Thank you Frank! Great job!
Matthew was Totally professional, respectful, knowledgeable and a very kind person.He didn’t rush me and was very thorough! Thank you so much -I’m glad you were the one helping me
I am very satisfied with the drain clog/clearing work that Deonte Wilson did for me today. He was very professional and personable. He explained everything that he was doing and was very pleasant to talk to as well. The price was right and service was outstanding! Thank you!
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Roy A. was a pleasure to work with. He thoroughly and expertly explained all of the issues with my system with pictures and videos. He was transparent about the remediation options available to me and patiently reviewed each option with me. The install team, Daniel and Roy, were equally as awesome. They too were extremely knowledgeable, patient with my questions, and worked diligently to get my new unit up and running safely in one day. I couldn’t have asked for a better team.
Tyler did a great job, taking care of the plumbing problem. Great customer service, and describing the problem.
Outstanding, thorough professional service by Sam. Ensured all services were fully explained and all work well done. You can be proud to have him as a part of Goettl's service team.
Pedro did a thorough job,he even took the time to walk me through the proper care of my unit.
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