What Causes a Direct & Belt Drive Furnace Blower Motor to Go Bad in Rutland, NY? Overheating, Moisture & More

New York is well known for our cold winters, and our furnaces work all winter long to provide the home with heat. When the furnace fails to deliver the needed warmth, it can make our home very cold and uncomfortable. To avoid furnace failure it is important to recognize when the furnace and its components need repair. Today Agape Air Conditioning, Heating & Plumbing will share the causes and signs that the furnace’s motor is failing.

Furnace Blower Motor Types

There are two types of furnace motors and how they work differs. One is a direct drive motor which connects directly to the furnace’s blower wheel. A direct drive motor is most common in a modern furnace and most of the gas fueled furnaces. The second type of motor is a belt drive which is less common in residential grade furnaces. Belt driven motors are mostly used in commercial grade furnaces. A belt drive motor connects to the motor pulley which is connected to the fan pulley that is mounted on the shaft to turn the blower wheel. Both types of motors are durable and with proper maintenance will last 20 years or more. However, there are certain element that can wear down a motor much sooner leading to motor replacements.

Furnace Blower Motor Overheating

When a motor fails before its natural lifespan, it can be due to a couple of elements, one being overheating. When a motor overheats, its electrical wiring can be damaged. Overheating can also effect the bearings which causes the motor to either short out or the bearing will fail. To prevent the bearing from failing they should be properly maintained and lubricated which will extend the life of the bearing and motor. Overheating can contribute to the bearing wearing down. Overheating can reduce the life of the lubrication and the bearing can bind up or seize. Overheating can be caused by poor air flow within the motor. Poor air flow is often the result of dust or dirt built up inside the motor. Dirt can build up even in a brand new motor or furnace during time of construction or remodeling within the home and there is a lot of dust kicking up inside the home’s indoor air. Another cause for overheating is if the voltage or power supply is either too high or too low.

Moisture Can Cause a Furnace Blower Motor to Go Bad

A second culprit that can cause premature motor failure is moisture. Moisture is another common cause for a motor to fail, especially if there is water dripping above the motor either due to a leak from the coil drainage system or from frozen coils. There can be a number of moisture sources that can occur around the furnace motor. If the motor is exposed to an intense amount of moisture, it can cause the motor to short out. If the motor shorts out, it will not work. When the motor fails, the furnace will continue to create warm air but it will not circulate throughout the home. Essentially, the home is cold and you will not feel air coming through the vents even though the furnace is running.

Furnace Preventive Maintenance, Emergency Repair, Replacement & More in Bedford Hills, Manhattan, Flushing, Queens, Brooklyn & The Bronx, New York

If your furnace motor fails and you need to replace the motor or other heating repairs this winter, contact Agape Air Conditioning, Heating & Plumbing today.

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