As your furnace starts to age, you begin to wonder whether it is actually heating properly. To tell whether the furnace is working efficiently, it is best that you understand the concept of temperature rise.
Checking the Furnace
A quick way to tell is to measure the warmth of the air that is going out of the house. Once you have that measurement, you have to compare it with the air that is coming back inside the house. The difference of temperature that you will notice is known as temperature rise. If the difference between the two temperatures or the temperature rise does not fall within the range that the manufacturers say that it should be, then you can assume that your furnace is degrading in its performance.
If you are a responsible home owner and you service your furnace every year by hiring an HVAC technician, then the professional has probably taken care of this problem and you may not have to worry about it. Regardless, it is always best to know how to measure the temperature rise yourself. Learning how to do this will be an amazingly helpful tool for any homeowner.
How to Measure Temperature Rise?
Fortunately, you only need one single tool to measure the temperature. This tool is called the probe style thermometer. The temperature rise varies depending on the size and brand of your furnace. The first thing you will have to do is look for the name plate on the furnace.
This name plate is usually located on the inside of the furnace. The name plate is usually located on the inner section of the furnace cabinet. To access it, you will have to open the door cabinet of the furnace. Once you take the door off, you will find a name plate that contains information such as the model, serial number, temperature rise, and other technical details.
Keep in mind that the temperature rise is a range between two figures. Once you find the temperature rise range, you have to refer it to the temperature rise you calculate using the tool.
The Process
To start with the measurement, you have to make sure to turn your furnace on, and make sure that it is running for about 10 or 15 minutes. This gives it a chance to normalize and come into pressure. While the furnace is heating up, you need to identify the difference between the return air and the supply air.
To measure the return and supply air of the furnace, you will have to locate the air filter. Past the filter, and in the direction of the airflow arrow, you can find the air blowing out of the furnace. In other words, this is the air output.
If you follow it past the heat exchanger, you will find the air supply to the out. This is where you will identify the return and supply of the house. Then, all you have to do is find access holes and insert the thermometer into the return and supply side of the furnace and measure the temperature.
As you can see, identifying the temperature rise is not a difficult endeavor. With the arrival of winters nearing down, it is importance that you check the temperature rise beforehand.
