by High Performance HVAC | Gas Furnaces |
How Gas Furnace Thermocouples Work | Boilers and Furnaces. Furnaces, water heaters, and boilers, especially older gas systems use the standing pilot gas system as an integral part of the furnace’s operation. These systems are best recognized as having a standing flame burning continuously.
It is a basic and time-tested system that provides a reliable way of proving a flame. It employs a thermocouple (some systems can use a thermophile which is a lot of thermocouples embedded in one piece) and a gas valve that has two separate valves inside of it.
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by High Performance HVAC | Gas Furnaces |
Gas Furnace Components | HVAC Heating Systems. Different types of gas furnaces are available for purchase today and the older models which were installed many years ago still in operation. The older models were typically atmospheric-type gas furnaces and used a lot of gas to produce heat, much of which went up the flue because efficiencies were low.
The standing pilot atmospheric type gas furnaces still exist today, but they are slowly going the way of the dinosaur as newer more efficient furnaces are replacing them. (more…)
by High Performance HVAC | Oil Heat |
Oil Controls Burner - The oil burner and oil controls provide the main source of heat for this oil furnace. The oil burner comprises an oil pump, an oil pump, a burner electric motor, a burner blower, a step-up transformer, an oil ignition control, an oil burner gun, and an oil nozzle (inside not viewable here).
The burner electric motor is directly linked to the blower and the oil pump and when the electric motor starts (controlled by the ignition control) the pump begins pumping oil while the blower provides primary air to the combustion chamber. (more…)
by High Performance HVAC | Gas Furnaces |
This picture shows furnace flue condensation problems. This problem is caused by hot gases cooling too quickly in the flue. As the hot gasses cool, the moisture in the gases condenses and starts dripping back down the flue. Typically, there is a combustion issue or bad flue design. (more…)
by High Performance HVAC | Gas Furnaces |
Gas Furnace Electronic Ignition Control Board
Electronic Ignition Gas Furnaces Types | Gas Heating Systems. Gas furnaces, boilers, and water heaters have evolved from the basic standing pilot ignition system to the state-of-the-art electronic ignition models. Standing pilot gas furnaces relied on keeping a pilot flame lit for the furnace, boiler, or water heater to function. The advent of electronic ignition has made it possible to prove a flame without keeping a pilot light lit 24/7.
That saves money because electronic ignition only needs to have a flame when there is a call for heat. Lastly, no more worries about lighting a pilot light. There are different types of electronic ignition gas furnaces. Remember, this is a classification of gas furnaces. There are other classifications or types of gas furnaces.
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by High Performance HVAC | Air Handlers |
Caution is always advised around mechanical and electrical equipment including the air handler. Turn the power off before removing any panels.
Air Handlers - An air handler is usually located in the garage, a closet, or in the attic (unless you have a package unit then the air handler is incorporated into one system). It is essential to any AC unit and heating forced air system. All AC units need an air handler or way to move air. It can be a part of your furnace and houses the evaporator coils, the blower motor, and some HVAC controls. It can be an up-flow, downflow, or horizontal flow AHU (air handling unit). (more…)
by High Performance HVAC | Gas Furnaces |
Gas Fired Pool Heater
Gas Furnace Types come in a variety of sizes and can be used for different applications. Types of gas furnaces have different classifications. By and large, the most common gas furnaces use natural gas and utilize electronic ignition. Electronic ignition gas furnaces are slowly replacing the older style standing pilot furnaces where a pilot light remained lit all the time.
Now, with the newer modern electronic ignition, gas furnaces only use gas when there is an actual call for heat. That adds efficiency because, with the older standing pilot gas furnace, the pilot remained on even in the summer months. The heat produced by a standing pilot light is negligible. However, it is still added heat to the system in the summer.
The whole purpose of the AC in the summer is to remove the heat from the system. Rather than add heat like a standing pilot would do.
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by High Performance HVAC | Thermostats |
Heat Pump Thermostats - To the average person a heat pump thermostat can be a very complicated thermostat compared to the typical thermostat which serves an air conditioning system with gas, electric, or an oil furnace. Of course, the heat pump thermostat typically has more wire terminations than the regular thermostat.
It has more switches to control emergency heat, and some even have lights, which will indicate that the auxiliary heat or emergency heat is functioning. Most heat pump thermostats are two-stage thermostats for the heating mode and a single stage for the cooling mode.
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by High Performance HVAC | Thermostats |
What you will learn from the Troubleshooting Broken Thermostats article:
- One of the most common trouble calls for HVAC heating and cooling
- Basic checks of the HVAC System thermostat to see if it is broken or?
- The basics of the thermostat for an HVAC system
- Learn what a heating anticipator is and what type of thermostat uses them.
- Fixing a Broken Thermostat for an HVAC System
- Finally, lots of related useful links to help you learn your heating and cooling HVAC system
Troubleshooting Broken Thermostats - The main connection between the air conditioning and heating system and the end-user is the thermostat. Beyond the air conditioning and heating thermostat, many people know nothing about the HVAC systems that keep them comfortable year-round. While the thermostat may be the problem, make sure you eliminate other possible heating and cooling problems.
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by High Performance HVAC | Technical Reference |
HVAC Technician Tools - I can remember when I first got out of HVAC school a few years back I wanted to know what kind of basic tools I needed to begin my work as an HVAC technician. Of course, I had lofty goals and wanted to rise to the top but my expectations at the time matched my skill level. That skill level was a lot of book knowledge and not a lot of field experience.
After all, admittedly there are many lights that do not turn on in the classroom that does turn on in the field after some experience. Stress can turn some light bulbs on while others turn on easily after you see something for real the first time instead of reading about it in a book. (more…)
