Why Is My Furnace Blower Not Working?

There are few worse feelings in cold weather than realizing your furnace isn’t working. Among the many possible reasons for this unfortunate scenario, a broken or malfunctioning blower motor is among the most common. Many people will start scouring the internet for “furnace repair companies near me“ when this occurs, and if that’s what brought you here to Professional Services, consider your search over.

How Do Furnace Blowers Work?

Furnace blowers are essential to any forced air furnace system. They consist of two parts: the furnace blower motor and the blower fan. After the heat exchanger creates warm air, the furnace blower forces it through the home’s ductwork to each room. Without the blower, that air never enters the ductwork.

There are two types of furnace blowers. Single-speed blowers run at full speed until the desired temperature has been reached, at which point they turn off. Variable-speed blowers are more energy efficient and run at different speeds to achieve or maintain various temperatures. Both typically break for similar reasons.

How Do I Reset the Blower?

If your blower has stopped working, the first thing you can try to bring your furnace back online is to reset the blower motor. This relatively easy fix involves the following steps:

• Turn off the circuit breaker powering your HVAC system.
• Unscrew the blower cover.
• Give the blower time to cool down completely before proceeding.
• Push the reset button (typically a red button behind the blower motor). 

The reset button is easily noticeable as it pops out whenever it gets overloaded. Pushing it back in allows power to flow once more to the unit once it has been restored from the circuit breaker. If this seems to fix the problem, but the furnace turns back off soon after it starts, contact us immediately. 

Why Has My Furnace Blower Stopped Working?

Understanding why your furnace blower has stopped working will help determine the required repairs. Below, we will go through the most common reasons a furnace blower isn’t working correctly.

Dirty Air Filters

Furnace maintenance is essential. A dirty air filter can impact your system’s overall functioning, and the furnace blower isn’t immune from being damaged by a filter that needs changing. A clogged air filter makes the furnace blower motor work harder to move air into the ducts, resulting in the motor burning out.

Broken Capacitor

The capacitor is a small but critical furnace component. Its job is to control the power supply to the fans embedded in your HVAC system. When it malfunctions, it stops providing adequate power to the fan motor, and the furnace blower ceases functioning.

Faulty Thermostat

One obvious step in getting your furnace functioning again is to ensure the thermostat is set properly. However, in some cases, even a correctly set thermostat can cause problems. This happens when the wire connecting the thermostat to the HVAC unit comes loose or when there is an issue with the control board inside the unit. An HVAC technician can diagnose and fix both issues to get your system up and running in no time.

Lack of Maintenance

Properly maintaining an HVAC system requires more than just regularly changing furnace filters. Having your HVAC system cleaned and serviced twice yearly helps prevent issues like a dirty furnace blower wheel. Furnace blower wheels develop a buildup of dirt and grease if the air filters aren’t changed on schedule and the HVAC unit isn’t cleaned regularly. Even a little dirt on the blower can reduce your furnace’s energy efficiency, causing the heat exchanger, which warms the air, to work harder. Over time, this could lead to the furnace blower ceasing to function and a burnt-out heat exchanger.

How Do I Get Help With a Broken Furnace Blower?

When your furnace blower is not working as it should, your priority is finding an HVAC repair company you trust to get your system running and restore warmth to your home. Southeastern Wisconsin’s top choice for an HVAC repair company is here to help you with this issue and many others. Our service techs will do the following and more:

• Give you tips for cleaning your furnace
• Provide quick, effective service
• Help you set up a maintenance schedule for your system to prevent future issues

Contact Professional Services today at 262-218-2636 for prompt repair, installation, and maintenance to keep your HVAC system in optimal shape. We are more than happy to answer all your heating-related questions for that extra peace of mind you deserve.