Your HVAC system is made up of air conditioner and furnace parts. Some parts only work part of the year depending on whether you want hot or cool air. Other parts, such as the blower, work all year because they are shared by the AC and furnace. Here's how the blower in your HVAC system works and the maintenance and repairs it could need.

How The Blower Works

The blower is a fan that's located in the air handler. The air handler also houses the furnace parts and the air conditioner coils. Air is pulled through the filter into the air handler as the blower spins. The air created by the blower fan goes through the duct system and into your home.

When the blower works properly, it blows a strong, steady stream of warm or cool air into your living space. Since the blower works all year in furnace, fan, and AC mode, it needs to be serviced so it can keep working efficiently.

What Can Go Wrong With The HVAC Blower

It's possible for the fan to vibrate loose or get clogged with dust. Parts that operate the fan, such as the control board, thermostat, capacitor, and fan motor can malfunction and cause the fan to stop working.

You might hear odd noises when the fan is malfunctioning, but one of the best ways to tell if the fan isn't working properly is to feel the stream of air coming out of the ducts. If the stream is weak or your HVAC system is running but not cooling or heating your house very well, consider the problem could be the blower fan or parts that control the fan.

How The Blower Is Maintained And Serviced

The blower may need to come out of the air handler to be cleaned manually if it's coated with dust. The blower picks up dust naturally, but the problem is made worse if you don't change the filter in your HVAC system on schedule. The maintenance technician will also clean and check other parts that need it.

The capacitor that starts up the blower motor will probably go bad at some point since these don't have a long lifespan. A capacitor lasts for many years, but not as long as the rest of the HVAC system. Changing the capacitor is a common repair that keeps the blower running.

It's also possible for the blower motor to burn out, so the technician checks to make sure the motor is working properly because the blower won't turn when the motor dies. The technician might also verify the thermostat is accurate and working properly since the thermostat turns the blower on and off.

Reach out to an HVAC contractor in your area to learn more.