A furnace provides warmth and comfort to anyone in the house throughout the cold season. When you decide on purchasing a new one, one of the essential things that you need to consider is, does it have a coil? In this article, we will show you why this is something to look for, as we have researched furnaces and coils.
If you have a new furnace, make sure it has a coil. The furnace uses electricity or gas to produce energy. The coil plays an important role in the split system.
A furnace coil serves as the heat trader and heat absorber able to disperse the heat to the air ducts. The coil works for air conditioners and furnaces depending on the system you want to use. Without a coil, your cooling and heating appliance won’t be as efficient as it should be.
The furnace is considered the most common heating system due to its energy efficiency and durability. Keep on reading as we will gather all the relevant information about furnaces, coils, and how you can maintain your furnace's productivity.
What does a furnace coil do?
You may think that you are familiar with HVAC systems. However, furnaces and air conditioners are likely more complicated than you thought.
There are several parts and components of a furnace. You may be wondering about the importance of a coil and its function, so keep on reading.
Most homeowners know about the furnace itself but don’t know how HVAC works. Your heating and cooling system won’t work if there is no coil. There are two coils in the HVAC system: the condenser coil and the evaporator coil.
Evaporator Coil
This is the component of an air conditioning system that absorbs the heat inside your home. It is attached to the furnace or inside the air handler. Evaporator coils work with the condenser coil to go through the process of cooling the air.
The evaporator coil has a refrigerant which the compressor pumps to the evaporator. Air is being pushed through the coil in the blower fan where the refrigerant from the evaporator absorbs heat.
Importance of evaporator coil
It is crucial to maintain the efficiency of the HVAC system to keep the functionality of the evaporator coil.
If the coils are poorly maintained, it may increase your energy consumption. It could also cause frozen coils, reduced heat transfer, and an overheated compressor.
Condenser coils
The condenser coils are responsible for the decrease and increase of the temperature and pressure of the coolant gas before it passes through the cooling and heating system.
What happens in a condenser coil?
During summer, the system will pull in hot air and cool it. It will then be distributed to the entire home. When the temperature is cold, the cold air will be pulled, gets off the heat, and passes through the duct.
The compressor pulls hot and low refrigerant from the house and converts it into hot air or gas.
The heated gas will pass through the coil and gets cool as the hot air is blown into the exterior. The coolant’s loss of heat will turn into a liquid form that is hot and pressurized.
The liquid will flow through the evaporator coil found in the HVAC unit, which expands and cools. The air now is cooler compared to the surrounding air.
It has absorbed the heat from the ductwork. The cooler air will now be distributed in the entire house. While the cold air is being spread from the ducts, the low-pressure and cooler air will go back to the compressor coil to start again the cycle.
How does the heating process of a furnace take place?
Combustion to filtration
As combustion happens, the outside air goes into the system via a separate vent. When the air combines with the heat, it is warmed and dispersed through ductwork.
This requires filtration to remove unnecessary debris and dust before it is enclosed in the furnace plenum.
Absorption and filtration
After that, the blower will absorb and blow hot air through the ductwork. A clean blower in good condition should be maintained so that your furnace will work efficiently.
Moreover, the distribution of the air system is responsible for the right temperature to where the thermostat is set.
The flue vent pipe is responsible for keeping the air clean and safe. It removes harmful toxins from the products of combustion such as fumes and carbon monoxide.
The vent opens and closes to make sure that there is no potential danger that will enter your home.
Distribution
Finally, the HVAC system will allow the ductwork to distribute the heated air to the entire house. Therefore, the ducts should be clean and free from any kinds of debris that will block the air circulation.
Moreover, the air is filtered inside the furnace which purifies and cleans the air. This is an important aspect of the HVAC system to take away bad odors and allergens.
Plus, it cuts down your household activity such as dusting and vacuuming. Once the temperature is set, the process will stop until the next heating is required.
There are furnaces with a built-in humidifier that moisturizes the heated air before it enters the ductwork.
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Furnace with air conditioning
For furnaces with air conditioning units, the first thing happens in the air conditioner’s evaporator coil. It removes heat, then humidifies the air. The excess moisture will then be drained.
The compressor will blow off heat by using a refrigerant inside the evaporator coil. The cool air makes way for the furnace as an addition to humidity and cooling.
Finally, the cool air will pass through a filter and then to the ducts in different parts of the home.
What happens when a furnace does not have a coil?
In the cooling and heating system, the evaporator coil is located beside the heat exchanger of the furnace inside a cabinet. When you run a furnace, the hot air travels into the coil to the ductwork for air distribution.
The evaporator coil is copper tubing with small networks in between. This allows the flow of the air. When running an air conditioner, dirt, dust, and mold will build up in the coil which can clog the airflow.
A dirty coil will weaken the performance and efficiency of the heating and cooling system. Same as when your furnace does not have a coil, here are the adverse effects.
- Wear and tear – insufficient airflow will add to the workload of the heating system. This will cause a breakdown of the furnace components.
- Less warmth – once the system declines, there will be a drop in temperature. This significant drop will trigger the switch and will shut down the device, leaving you no heat at all. This will be uncomfortable on your end.
- Increase energy – The furnace needs to double its work to reach the desired temperature. So when the airflow is restricted, it will consume more energy. You would not want to disappoint your pocket though.
Remember that the coil is fragile and inaccessible. Leave it to the hands of a professional or a trained technician. They are the ones who know the safe removal and proper cleaning of the coil.
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Quick steps to clean the coil
Here are the quick steps for cleaning the coil.
Step 1. Safety first. Turn off the furnace, and start from the thermostat, breaker, and the main switch.
Step 2. Remove the blower compartment.
Step 3. Use a soft and clean towel to clean the coil by hand. You may use a soft brush to clean the coil tubes.
Step 4. Wipe the blower compartment and the condensate pan. You may use a cleaning agent to easily wipe off dirt and dust.
Step 5. Reattach all the parts, and turn on the power.
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In Conclusion
Even if it's an old or new furnace, it should have a coil. The coil is a crucial component of a furnace that every homeowner should know about. If the coil is not present, then the furnace makes no effective performance in the cooling or heating system.
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