4 Possible Reasons Why Your Gas Furnace Is No Longer Fully Heating Your Office Building
If you own and operate an office building, you may have noticed that the building is staying cold even when the furnace is constantly running. If so, there are four possible reasons why your gas furnace is no longer able to fully heat your business's building.
Ductwork Is Detached from the Furnace
One possible issue with your building's heating system may not fall with the furnace itself. It is possible that the furnace is blowing out the normal amount of heat. However, the ductwork that is attached to the furnace may have become dislodged or detached.
To see if this is the cause of the problem, go down to the furnace room. Locate the duct that leads away from the furnace. If it is detached from the furnace, you should be able to see it hanging freely.
Also, the room in which the furnace is located may be extremely hot because all of the air intended for the rest of the building is accumulating in the small space. If the ductwork is detached, you should have a professional HVAC contractor reattach it to ensure it is hung properly.
Gas Burner Does Not Light Evenly
Another potential problem with your commercial building's gas heater is that the burner is not lighting evenly. If the burner's holes have become partially clogged with dirt or rust, the furnace will not have enough fire to heat the air before it is forced throughout the ductwork.
To find out if this is the problem, carefully open the pilot door while the furnace is running, and look at the fire on the burner. If you see gaps in the fire or the flames are burning unevenly, the burner is most likely the cause of the issue.
Especially since the burner is attached to a gas line, only a trained professional should fully inspect and dismantle the burner and pipes to find the reason why the burner is not fully lighting.
Blower Fan Has Become Loose
If your burner seems to be burning properly and the air seems to be hot enough, another possibility is that the furnace's blower has started to malfunction. If the fan has become loose inside the blower.
When this happens, it is unable to evenly force their air through the heating system because the fan may be slipping or not turning at all. You may also hear a loud rattling or banging noise as the fan tries to rotate.
To see for yourself whether the fan has become loose, open the access panel to the furnace, and watch the fan when the blower kicks on. If you see it spinning erratically or not at all, it will either need to be tightened or replaced by an HVAC contractor.
Blower's Motor Is Malfunctioning
If you find that the fan is not the issue, the problem could lie with the blower's motor. If it is malfunctioning and about to burn up, it will not have the ability to fully force air into the ductwork and throughout the open spaces of your building.
Besides your inability to feel a lot of air coming from the vents, you may also hear a noise coming from the blower as it struggles to operate. If you hear this noise, the blower's motor has started to malfunction. More than likely, the motor will need to be replaced.
Whatever the reason behind your furnace's inability to keep your office building warm, you should have a professional take a look at it. Contact a commercial heating service like Mercury Tec so they can inspect your building's gas furnace to determine the cause and discuss with you options for fixing the issue.
