If you’re in the market for a new furnace, you may wonder how does a natural gas furnace work. Here’s a brief overview: natural gas furnaces use a pilot light to ignite the burner. The burner then heats the heat exchanger, which heats the air circulated throughout your home. Natural gas furnaces are an efficient way to heat your home, and they can save you money on your energy bills!
This blog post will discuss how a natural gas furnace operates and some of the benefits of using one in your home. Keep reading to learn more!
Common Home HVAC Setup
A furnace and a thermostat are typical in most houses’ HVAC systems. The thermostat measures the temperature of the air around the thermostat. It transmits a signal to the furnace to switch on when it detects an air temperature below the set program.
Natural gas and electric furnaces are the two most popular kinds of furnaces in Winnipeg. When the furnace receives the signal to switch on from the thermostat, it will draw air in through its cold air returns, heat it, and distribute it throughout your house through the duct system.
Basic Parts of a Gas Furnace
Before learning how a natural gas furnace works, it is essential to know the basic parts of the furnace.
Burner: The burner is where the combustion process takes place. Natural gas and oxygen are combined in the burner to create a flame.
Igniter: The mechanism in charge of igniting the gas that comes from the burners. Furnace igniters function by igniting the gas with a spark or by generating a very hot surface that ignites the gas as it goes by.
Control board: A tiny circuit board interprets numerous electrical signals from the furnace’s inside and outside. When the thermostat calls for heat, it transmits signals that cause different things, such as unlocking the gas valve and switching on the blower fan and burners.
Blower fan: The fan is responsible for circulating the air through the furnace and into your house’s ductwork.
Heat exchanger: The heat exchanger is where the actual heating of the air occurs. The blower fan blows air over the heat exchanger, which heats the air and sends it through the ductwork.
Transformer: A transformer is a device that steps up or down the voltage of an alternating current (AC). The furnace’s transformer steps up the 115-volt electricity coming into the furnace to 24 volts. This high voltage is then used to operate different parts of the furnace, such as the blower motor and igniter.
Gas valve: The gas valve is responsible for letting the natural gas into the burner. The control board signals the gas valve to open when it receives a signal from the thermostat that the temperature has dropped, and heat is needed.
Thermostat: The thermostat is the “brain” of the furnace. It monitors the temperature of the air around it and signals the furnace to turn on when the temperature drops below the set program.
The Heating Cycle of A Gas Furnace
Now that you know the essential parts of a gas furnace, let’s look at how they work together to heat your home!
- The thermostat enables you to adjust your home’s air temperature. The control board within the furnace is triggered to start the heating cycle when you alter the temperature on the thermostat. The ignition switch is switched on to do this.
- The ignition switch is in charge of igniting the gas in your furnace’s combustion chamber. Gas jets transport the gas into the combustion chamber. The gas jets are then ignited by a pilot light (in earlier furnaces) or a hot surface ignitor.
- The control board starts the blower fan once the gas has been ignited in the combustion chamber. The blower fan’s job is to move air across the heat exchanger where it will be heated and into your home’s ductwork.
- Once the air has been heated, it is distributed evenly throughout your house through the ductwork. The furnace will continue to operate until the desired temperature on the thermostat has been reached.
- Once the desired temperature has been reached, the control board will shut off the gas jets and blower fan. The furnace will remain off until the air temperature drops below the set program on the thermostat, at which point, the heating process will start again!
Conclusion
We hope this article helped you understand how a natural gas furnace works. If you have any questions or concerns about your furnace, contact a professional HVAC contractor. Natural gas furnaces are complex and should only be serviced by qualified professionals.
Furnace Repair Winnipeg can help you find the right gas furnace for your home and provide expert installation and repair services. Contact us today for all your furnace needs!
