Indoor Air Quality

The Effects of a Dirty Blower Wheel

Do you know what a Blower Wheel is in regard to your HVAC system? Do you know what happens when it gets excessively dirty or clogged?

The blower wheel is a component of the blower motor and its job is to move large volumes of air through the duct system. If the blower wheel gets dirt or grease built up, it can slow down the wheels rotation and reduce the amount of air your blower motor is capable of moving through your home.

Any dirt on those blades will cause your blower motor to work harder. This draws more amperage and pushes less air. When as little as one tenth of an inch of dust accumulates on your blower wheel, it can reduce your furnaces efficiency by 20%. Another problem that arises from this dust accumulation is your heat exchanger running hotter. This will ultimately lower the lifespan of your furnace.

If a blower wheel is allowed to get really dirty, your furnace and air conditioner may not operate at all. Your heat exchanger depends on cooler air moving across it to keep it from overheating. Your air conditioner coil depends on warmer air to keep it from freezing. When this cannot happen because a dirty blower wheel is impairing air flow, your system will fail.

There are some things you can do to help prevent your blower wheel from becoming dirty in the first place.

The first thing is… change your air filters regularly!

The second thing you can do to avoid a problem or breakdown is regular maintenance.

This should be done in the Fall for your heating system and in the Spring for your cooling system. If your blower wheel is dirty, it will be detected during this routine inspection.

Catching the problem early can save you from a breakdown, lower your power bills, prevent system failure, and lengthen the life of your equipment.