How The Heating Elements Warm Air In Your Furnace And What Happens When They Go Bad

An electric furnace has heating elements in it that produce heat for your home. If an element goes bad, your furnace might run, but it won't produce as much heat. A heating element can stop working for a number of reasons, so a heating repair technician has to test the element and the parts that control it to find what has to be replaced. Here's an overview of how the heating elements work in an electric furnace and how to tell if one is bad.

How A Heating Element Works 

When the thermostat signals your furnace to turn on, the signal is sent along wiring that connects the thermostat to the sequencer in your furnace. The sequencer then triggers the elements one at a time to turn on and start warming up the air.

Any problem in the electrical system, such as a bad thermostat, bad wiring, a bad sequencer, a faulty fuse, or a triggered limit switch can keep the elements from turning on. In addition, all these parts could be working fine, but the wiring in the heating element could go bad and cause the element to fail.

When To Suspect Trouble With The Elements

A furnace that can't keep your home warm even though it's running is an indication of trouble with the heating elements. If an element doesn't turn on and get hot, the air coming out of the furnace won't get as hot as usual.

Another sign of trouble with the heating system is when the furnace causes a breaker to trip off, and this can be caused by a faulty sequencer that doesn't control the elements properly. The sequencer can even keep all the elements from turning on so your furnace has no heat at all.

What Heating Repairs May Be Needed

A repair technician will check the electrical parts with a multimeter to find the source of the problem. It's possible the sequencer or wiring from the thermostat will need to be replaced. However, if the problem is isolated in an element, the element has to be removed and replaced since repairs probably won't be possible.

A heating element can wear out due to old age, so there isn't much you can do to prevent the problem. However, if your furnace stops keeping you as warm as it once did, that's a sign your furnace has a problem of some sort.

You'll want to have heating repairs done promptly and have the electrical system of your furnace checked out so the heat doesn't fail completely and leave your home in the cold.