How Sperry Homeowners Can Understand the Role of Excess Air in Furnace Combustion and Energy Waste

Has your utility bill increased lately? Is your carbon monoxide detector sounding its alarm at times? Your furnace might produce too much air for its own good. 

What is excess air in a furnace? Quality Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electric provides trusted plumbing, electrical, and HVAC services in Sperry, OK. We’ll explore this topic in-depth below so you know how to handle it. 

How the Furnace Heats a Building

Let’s cover the basics of how furnaces work. Your furnace initiates combustion to generate heat and airflow. Combustion relies on a balanced combination of oxygen and ignited fuel. Too little oxygen during combustion produces toxic gaseous by-products, like carbon monoxide, while keeping the heat contained in the furnace. 

Too much oxygen can also result in carbon monoxide but cools the heat and tempers combustion instead. What is excess air in a furnace, and how do you know when it develops? You’ll find the answer below. 

What Is Excess Air in a Furnace?

You’ve already established that excess air in combustion causes heating problems. Technically, all furnaces have a little excess air because reducing the excess is impossible. However, the furnace typically draws the excess out of the combustion chamber before it ignites its fuel. 

If the furnace’s combustion efficiency drops, the extra oxygen sticks around, creating excess air in the furnace. Basically, your furnace can’t use or get rid of this air for one reason or another. It hampers overall efficiency and can cause other HVAC problems. 

How Does Excess Air Develop in Your Sperry Heating System?

Most excess air comes from the air we already breathe. In other words, the extra oxygen just exists all around you and, therefore, inside your furnace. HVAC technicians in Sperry, Oklahoma, use a mathematical formula to determine what too much air looks like for different heating systems and can tweak the equipment for optimal heat transfer efficiency and safety. 

But what is excess air in a furnace, and how can you recognize the symptoms?

• Monitor the temperature in different areas. Cold spots in some rooms might indicate that hot air isn’t making its way to those areas. 
• Keep an eye on your utility bills. Excess air almost always forces the furnace to work much harder than necessary. 
• Make sure your carbon monoxide detector works. Regular detector tests ensure the device works and picks up on CO rises.  
• Take note of strong odors coming from vents or near your furnace storage. Faulty combustion often releases sharp, acrid smells that resemble vinegar or formaldehyde. 
• Take a peek at your furnace flames. If ignition flames only partially encircle the burners, the excess oxygen may have blown them out. 
• Feel for vibrations. When the furnace cycles, does it vibrate dramatically? Repetitive, jerky movements mean prohibitive issues. 
• Listen for new noises. If you hear popping, slamming, or hissing sounds during cycles, turn off your furnace and report the problem to your HVAC company in Sperry, Oklahoma.

The above-listed symptoms might mean too much air or another heating problem. Both scenarios require professional repair services. 

Can Your Furnace Get Too Little Air?

What is excess air in a furnace? Now that you know about too much air, let’s discuss too little and how it impacts energy efficiency in furnaces. Oxygen keeps the fuel burning and producing heat. 

When a furnace can’t move sufficient air over its burners, it cannot transfer enough heat to warm a home. That means you’ll run out of fuel without the needed ignition to produce sustained warmth. Like excess air, this issue increases carbon monoxide levels that can infiltrate your home in Sperry, Oklahoma. 

How Do HVAC Technicians Fix Excess Air?

We mentioned above that HVAC technicians use a mathematical equation to determine furnace heat output and configure a proper excess air adjustment. When you contact yours, they’ll measure the system output and test the number of parts per million running through your combustion chamber. 

Then, they’ll use the equation to determine how much oxygen currently inhabits the chamber and what the ideal amount is. They’ll adjust various parts, like fuel outputs and burner positions, to achieve a safe and efficient oxygen level. 

Quality Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electric Has a Fix for Your Furnace in Sperry, Oklahoma

What is excess air in a furnace? You learned all about this topic above. Next, check out the most common causes of furnace switch failure. Contact Quality Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electric for your HVAC needs in Sperry, Oklahoma.