Modern-day furnaces have several features that make them more efficient, safe, and powerful than older systems. Many of these features have become standard components of every new furnace, and they now play an integral part in the heating process. One such feature is a draft inducer. Today we’re going to talk about what a furnace draft inducer is, how it works and how it improves the performance of your heating system!
What Is A Draft Inducer?
A draft inducer is a fan that’s located in the compartment that houses your furnace’s burners. This is not to be confused with your furnace’s air handler, which is the fan that delivers warm air to your home via ductwork. The draft inducer is designed specifically to ensure that combustion gases are properly vented out of your furnace and that heat is distributed evenly throughout the walls of your heat exchanger.
How does a draft inducer work?
When your furnace begins a heating cycle, the draft inducer is one of the first components to start up. The draft inducer fan will spin for 30-60 seconds before the burners are ignited. This serves two purposes. First, it pushes out any combustion gases that were still inside the combustion chamber after the previous heating cycle. Those gases are directed into your furnace’s flue pipe and out of your home. Second, it ensures that combustion gases are distributed evenly inside of your heat exchanger, which maximizes the heat exchanger’s effectiveness.
How does a draft inducer improve the performance of your furnace?
- Makes your furnace safer. Combustion gases are dangerous. Not only are they flammable, but they can also cause some serious health problems if you breathe them in. A draft inducer helps ensure that all of the combustion gases that your furnace produces are vented safely out of your home. Your furnace also has a safety device known as a pressure switch that detects whether or not the draft inducer is working properly. If the pressure switch senses that the draft inducer fan is not operating powerfully enough, or not operating at all, it will lock up your furnace to prevent safety issues.
- Makes your furnace more efficient. Your furnace produces warm air by blowing cool supply air over the heat exchanger’s walls. The more evenly that heat is distributed throughout the walls of the heat exchanger, the more efficiently your home’s air will be heated. The draft inducer provides a steady and constant flow of air throughout the heat exchanger’s combustion chamber, which improves the overall efficiency of your furnace.
If you have any questions about a draft inducer in a furnace, or if you’d like a heating system serviced or installed in your home, contact Jerry Kelly Heating & Air Conditioning, your St. Charles, MO, furnace installation and repair contractor. We provide service all over the St. Louis area, including towns like Weldon Spring, Wentzville, and Winghaven, MO.
