Most people depend on their furnaces to keep their homes toasty and warm when winter arrives. However, few homeowners are aware of all of the components involved in furnace functioning. Unfortunately, a lack of awareness makes it more difficult to see potential issues.
The exhaust flue is the most critical component of a gas-powered furnace. Even though it serves a primarily passive role in furnace operation, your system would not function without it. According to the experts of our heating maintenance in Cincinnati, OH you will understand why exhaust flue is required for your furnace.
Exhaust Gasses Are Vented Via Flues
Natural gas burning would produce two side effects in an ideal furnace: water vapor and carbon dioxide. Neither of these compounds poses a significant health risk to humans. Unfortunately, no furnace is capable of achieving 100 percent efficiency. Instead, part of the gas does not completely burn.
A vast spectrum of byproducts is produced during the partial combustion process. Many of these chemicals, most notably carbon monoxide, are very poisonous. As a result, exhaust gasses must leave your house as soon as feasible. The flue is a direct channel to the outside, enabling exhaust gasses to travel out of the house securely.
The Majority of Furnaces Use the Natural Draft
Your flue system most likely works on the natural draft concept unless you have a high-efficiency condensing furnace. Natural draft is the ability of flue gasses to rise out of your home independently. The natural draft is based on pressure changes. The temperature of the exhaust gasses produced by your furnace is much higher than the incoming air temperature.
Many clients experience concerns with the flue while installing new furnaces. Simply put, your new furnace will not function with your existing flue pipe. A professional must carefully check your current system to determine whether you must replace the flue pipe to allow adequate venting.
Draft Inducers are Used in High-Efficiency Furnaces
A natural draft flue system has specific drafting speed constraints even when adequately constructed. Consequently, natural draft furnaces have difficulty achieving efficiency levels exceeding 70%. Because they do not take advantage of a substantial quantity of energy, such furnaces are more expensive to operate.
When it’s time to replace a furnace, an increasing number of households opt for a high-efficiency model. A draft inducer is a component found in several of these furnaces. As the name indicates, a draft inducer encourages gasses to exit the flue quickly. A draft inducer is a furnace component that consists of a high-powered fan situated near the heat exchanger.
The draft inducer aids in the removal of any residual exhaust gasses from your furnace’s combustion chamber, allowing more fresh air to enter. A draft inducer also increases the negative pressure difference within the flue by speeding up the flow of exhaust gasses.
A well-designed flue is required for a furnace to function correctly. Don’t hesitate to contact our furnace tune-up in the Springboro, OH area for Comfort Solutions Heating & Cooling for further information regarding the flue in your HVAC system at (513) 396-7200.
