Understanding the Role of Motors in Your HVAC System

To ensure your indoor air quality is the best it can be, you should understand how your system works. The motor is the heart and soul of your HVAC system, which means it directly affects your health and the functionality of your system. Read on to understand more about the motor’s role, how to maintain it for optimal performance, and what future HVAC motor technology looks like. The Role of Motors in HVAC Systems As you now know, motors are a vital component of HVAC systems, powering blowers, compressors, and pumps to move air, refrigerant, and water. Blower motors turn the fan on to circulate conditioned air from the furnace, heat pump, or air conditioner through the duct system and out the vents. Compressor motors drive the compressor to compress refrigerant. Pump motors move water for hot and chilled water applications. Different types of motors can be used in HVAC systems, including capacitor start capacitor run (CSCR) motors, direct current (DC) motors, induction motors, permanent split capacitor (PSC) motors, and electrically commutated (ECM) motors. It’s best to work with a professional when choosing which motor you need, but there are some things to consider. The type of motor you need depends on the application. Torque is the most important factor when deciding which motor you need–for example, blower motors have lower starting torque requirements than compressor and pump motors. Choosing a motor with a bit more torque than you need is usually recommended, but don’t run it at full horsepower all the time, or else you’ll shorten its life. Other things to consider are efficiency, reliability, cost, RPM speed, voltage and horsepower, shaft size, diameter, fan rotation direction, and mounting device. If you’re replacing a motor, you could always find its model number and re-buy the same part, though you’ll have to use a universal motor with the same specs if you can’t find it. Motor Upgrades, Maintenance, and Repair Your HVAC system requires yearly inspections to ensure it’s performing optimally. Your motor will be part of this inspection. You must ensure you lubricate moving parts to decrease motor resistance, which saves electricity, extends its life, and requires less maintenance. You should also clean condenser coils to resume efficient airflow and heat absorption. Additionally, you should clean the condensate drain so debris won’t clog it. HVAC motors have long lifespans with proper maintenance and repairs, but certain things may indicate your motor has gone bad. If you notice unusual noises like screeching or squealing, weak airflow, insufficient heating or overheating, inconsistent performance like start-stop issues, unusually high energy bills, or general age and wear, it may be time to replace it. Suppose you decide to upgrade the motor instead of replacing the entire system. In that case, it is recommended to work with a licensed technician so they can provide more information about compatibility with your HVAC system. For example, a large blower motor may not be ideal if you don’t use your furnace often, so you could save money and energy by going with something else. Innovations in HVAC Motor Technology Some recent innovations in HVAC motor technology are turn tide smart motor systems, variable speed motors, and ferrite-assisted synchronous reluctance (FASR) motors. Turntide smart motor systems use a high-rotor pole-switched reluctance motor (HR-SRM) technology to improve energy conservation and system performance. Variable speed motors can adjust their speed to match your home's heating and cooling needs rather than coming on at full capacity all at once. This can reduce noise, wear and tear, and energy costs. It also makes the system more reliable. FASR motors use ferrite (iron oxide) magnets instead of rare-earth permanent magnets because they’re more cost-effective and environmentally friendly. They are also efficient and can maintain higher efficiency at partial loads. Conclusion Overall, it’s important to understand the basics of your HVAC system so you can determine whether it’s working at optimal efficiency. And that starts with the motor. Now that you know how motors work, when to maintain them, and how to upgrade them, your indoor air quality will improve quickly.