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How does a variable speed furnace blower work?
Variable speed furnaces are able to run at a range of speeds, rather than one speed as traditional furnaces do. The differing speeds control heating and cooling airflow through the home. Throughout operation, the furnace monitors incoming data from your HVAC system to automatically make blower motor speed adjustments.
Does a variable speed blower run all the time?
Variable speed furnaces have an air handler that operates at many different speeds depending on the demand for air at any given time. A variable speed air handler runs almost all the time, albeit typically at a low setting that is much quieter than the higher setting that’s used during heating cycles.
Are variable speed blowers worth it?
The best news … a variable speed furnace motor is 80–85% more efficient than a standard furnace motor. If you don’t have a 90% efficiency or higher furnace in your home, then yes it may well be worth the cost to upgrade.
How do variable speed air handlers work?
A variable speed air handler comes with various fan speed settings. It allows you to choose a speed that works for your cooling preferences. Instead of experiencing cold air blasts, the air handler circulates conditioned air throughout the home.
How does variable speed fan work?
Unlike conventional fan motors, a variable speed blower motor runs at different speeds to precisely control the flow of heated or cooled air throughout your home. Better airflow control means a better balance of temperature and humidity. As an added bonus, a variable speed motor gradually ramps up to full speed.
What is the difference between 2 stage and variable speed?
A two-stage furnace has low and high stages of operation. During the low stage, the furnace uses as little energy as possible to heat your home. A variable-speed furnace contains a computerized blower motor chip that monitors the airflow inside your home to determine how much heat to generate and release.
Is a variable speed furnace quieter?
A variable speed furnace is definitely quieter than a 1 or 2 stage furnace. It runs on a lower setting the majority of the time so the amount of heat that’s required is lower (as opposed to being on ‘full blast”) so there’s no big blast of air when it starts up.
What is a variable speed furnace?
The term “variable speed” refers to the furnace’s indoor blower motor, which moves at different speeds to precisely control the flow of heated and cooled air throughout your home.
What does a variable speed furnace mean?
With a variable speed furnace, the ‘variable speed’ doesn’t refer to the furnace itself but to the furnace’s indoor blower motor. Variable simply means that the blower motor operates at different speeds to more accurately control the flow of heated air to your home.
What does variable speed air handler mean?
Variable speed blowers / air handlers have multiple speeds. They begin at a low speed when the system first starts. Once it is in full swing heating or cooling the air, the speed ramps up to a higher speed. As the cycle ends, the fan adjusts to a lower speed to blow remaining treated air out of the air handler.
How do I know if my furnace is variable speed?
How Do I Know If I Have a Single Stage or Multi-Stage Heating System?
- Check your thermostat for variable heat settings, such as low and auxiliary heat.
- Locate the model number of your furnace, either by checking in the product manual or by looking directly on the front of furnace or inside the front panel.
Can a variable speed blower be used in a furnace?
Variable speed technology can also apply to the type of blower motor located in the air handler or gas furnace. A variable speed blower motor can operate at various speeds to precisely control the amount of airflow throughout your home.
What are the benefits of a variable speed or two stage furnace?
They also provide a higher level of comfort due to a steady flow of warm air on the coldest winter days. FYI: “Variable Speed” refers to the blower motor – how much air it moves through the ductwork. “Two-Stage” refers to the gas valve and burners – basically how much heat the furnace puts out.
How does a variable speed HVAC system work?
Variable speed technology enables a Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system to precisely adjust its output or capacity according to your home’s temperature demand.
Are there two types of furnace blower motors?
Yes, there are two primary type of blower motors: Standard furnace motor — Many of the 90% efficient furnaces installed since the 1980s use a standard blower motor. Meaning the furnace only operates at one speed — typically fast — and provides a sudden, noisy blast of air.