| Keeping the blower assembly on your furnace clean | | | | housing, remove the wires with a pair of needle-nose |
| helps improve performance and efficiency by allowing | | | | pliers. Make sure they have an insulated grip to |
| the air to flow unobstructed. The process requires a | | | | prevent electrical shock. Also, do not touch the |
| number of steps, and you might want to call in a | | | | terminals. |
| professional to do the job. If you choose to do it | | | | You can discharge the capacitor using a resistor-type |
| yourself, here's the procedure. | | | | jumper. If you don't know how to use a jumper, call |
| First, turn off the power to the furnace. This should | | | | a professional. When the capacitor is discharged, go |
| be done at the fuse or breaker box. Then turn off | | | | ahead and remove it. |
| the furnace and fan switches inside the unit. Also | | | | Fourth, take the motor and blower wheel out of the |
| switch your thermostat off. | | | | housing. Mark the spot where the hub sits on the fan |
| Second, take the blower assembly out of the | | | | shaft because this piece must be replaced in exactly |
| furnace. To do this, you have to disconnect the fan | | | | the same spot. |
| motor wiring harness connector. Make sure you make | | | | To remove the wheel, loosen the setscrew. Then |
| your own schematic showing how the wires run | | | | turn the housing over and remove the motor bracket |
| before you perform the disconnection. | | | | bolts. Turn the housing back over and, with a piece |
| To remove the assembly, take out the screws; then | | | | of two-by-four, softly knock the motor and shaft |
| slide it out. Make sure you don't touch the terminals | | | | out of the wheel. Also remove the deflector portion |
| of the capacitor, which is probably connected to the | | | | of the housing by removing the screws. |
| side of the blower assembly. There may be some | | | | Finally, clean the blower wheel and the fan motor. It's |
| refrigerant lines in this area. Don't bend them so they | | | | easiest to use a spray wand at the car wash to |
| crimp. | | | | clean the wheel, but don't direct the water at the |
| Third, if the capacitor is attached to the blower | | | | wheel at full pressure to avoid bending the fan's fins. |
| housing, discharge it and take it out. If you can't find | | | | You can clean the motor with a soft brush (no |
| the capacitor, it probably isn't required on your unit or | | | | water). |
| is located somewhere else in the furnace, so you can | | | | Keeping your furnace blower assembly clean can |
| move on to the next step. | | | | mean lower energy bills and a more comfortable |
| If you do find the capacitor on the side of the | | | | home. |