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Forced air heat

Forced air heat: Older hot air systems often depended on gravity to circulate the air. Many are still in use today. Gravity furnaces are usually centrally located, under the ground floor, and have large diameter ducts sloping upward to bring the heated air to registers in each room. The heated air rises by convection, and when it cools it is supposed to fall back down to the furnace to be reheated. Many of these systems have been replaced with forced air heating systems which eliminate the necessity of locating the furnace in the center of the house or at a lower elevation than the ground floor. The newer systems also make it possible to use much smaller ducts which can be tucked up between the floor beams and inside the walls. A "squirrel-cage" blower forces the heated air through these ducts to all parts of the house, and one or more return air ducts then serve to carry the air back to the furnace for reheating and recirculating. There will usually be at least one return duct for each floor of the house, though this varies with the design. Output can be controlled by the discharge registers, which have louvers than can be open or closed to control the amount of heat actually delivered through each register. Because hot air tends to dry out the atmosphere, many hot-air systems have a humidifier built in to add moisture to the heated air as it enters the plenum chamber after being heated by the furnace. The humidifier is connected to a cold water line, through which water is drawn as needed, and causes the water to be vaporized as it is added to the air stream. For fully automatic control, there are some systems which measure the relative humidity of the air in the living quarters with an instrument called a humidistat, which then draws more moisture (water) as it is actually needed. Forced-air heating systems should have at least one air filter which screens out airborne dust and similar particles. This filter must be periodically cleaned or replaced when it gets dirty, or it will greatly cut down on the flow of air from the furnace and on the efficiency of the entire system. Although not as important as the filter, the discharge registers in each room should also be checked regularly. Remove them and clean off the back side as well as the front to remove accumulated lint and dust. When replacing the screws, be careful that you do not over tighten and strip the threads on the screws. The blower and motor on most older hot-air furnaces will need oiling two or three times a year. Newer machines have sealed bearings which need no lubrication. If in doubt, check the manufacturers instructions for that unit, or ask an air conditioning contractor about any lubrication which may be required. Use 20-weight motor oil to lubricate the motor and blower bearings; just two or three drops in each oil cup or oil hole. Do not use too much oil, as this may eventually cause trouble. Some units have a belt which drives the blower. The belt should be inspected at least TWIce a year or sooner if the furnace suddenly fails to deliver its usual amount of heated air. If the belt looks worn, or is starting to crack and split, you should replace it immediately, otherwise it will surely break on a cold weekend night when you least expect it to. While inspecting, make sure the pulleys on the blower shaft and motor shaft are accurately aligned so that the belt rides straight without chafing against the rim of either pulley. You can check this by placing a straightedge alongside the two. If necessary, a pulley can be realigned by shifting it slightly in or out. Loosen the setscrew which holds it in place on the shaft, then tap the pulley lightly sideways until it is exactly in line with the other pulley. Be sure you retighten the setscrew when done. To check for proper belt tension, turn the electricity to the unit off. Push the belt in toward the pulleys (while the motor is off). It should depress no more than about 3/4 inch from the straight line it normally assumes. If it does depress more, then the belt is too loose and is probably slipping when running. This is another reason for lowered efficiency and poor performance. Motor mounts usually have a bolt which can be loosened to permit swinging the motor in or out slightly, thus increasing or decreasing the tension on the belt. If the system is equipped with a humidifier, it will usually need cleaning out at least once a year to avoid fungus buildup and accumulations of scale which could lower efficiency. Check the manufacturers instructions to see what cleaning procedures are recommended and whether or not periodic replacement of elements is also required. Inspection limitation: be aware that the inspector does not test the uniformity or adequacy of heated air supply to the various rooms or at individual registers. Some ducting may be wrapped with, or entirely constructed of asbestos containing materials. The inspector will not always indicate whether there are asbestos containing materials present. The presence of asbestos can only be ascertained with laboratory testing. If you are concerned with asbestos and desire this test you should contact an asbestos abatement company or an asbestos removal company. If these limitations concern you it is recommended you contact an HVAC contractor for further information. Feel free to contact the inspector if you need further information regarding these inspection limitations. Notice: older forced air furnaces which have removable front panels for access to the filter and/or blower and motor or for other maintenance, do not have a safety shut-off switch that controls the blower motor. If the front panel is left off, or not tightly replaced, combustion byproducts, including carbon monoxide, may be drawn into the circulated air stream and into the living quarters. It is therefore of utmost importance that all removable heater panels be replaced properly. If you need further information regarding this notice please feel free to contact NJ home inspectors for more information and assistance.

Gravity heating system Gravity furnace system Wall floor heat electric gas

File last updated May 22, 2012 * Copyright © 2012 All rights reserved by: Accurate Inspections, Inc. A New Jersey home inspection firm 56 Woodland Drive, Woodland Park (formerly West Paterson) NJ 07424 973-812-5100 providing New Jersey Certified Home Inspections in NJ, by New Jersey Licensed home inspectors. Inspector of record Michael Del Greco, New Jersey Home Inspector License GI 0121.

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Forced air heat Reg text at bottom Essex County: Belleville, Bloomfield 07003, Caldwell, Cedar Grove 07009, Essex Fells 07021, Fairfield 07004, Glen Ridge 07028, Livingston 07039, Montclair 07042, North Caldwell, Nutley 07110, Roseland 07068 , Short Hills, Upper Montclair 07042, Verona 07044 , Caldwell 07006, West Orange 07052
Passaic County: Bloomingdale 07403, Clifton 07011, Haledon 07508, Haskell, Hawthorne 07506, Jefferson Township, Little Falls 07424, North Haledon 07508, Oak Ridge, Passaic, Passaic Park, Paterson, Pompton Lakes 07442, Prospect Park, Ringwood 07456 , Singac, Totowa, Wanaque, Wayne 07470 , West Milford 07480 , Woodland Park (formerly West Paterson), W Paterson
Morris County: Boonton 07005, Butler 07405, Cedar Knolls, Convent Station, Denville 07834, East Hanover, Kinnelon 07405, Lake Hiawatha, Lincoln Park 07035, Madison 07940, Montville 07045 Township, Morris Plains 07950, Morris Township, Morristown, Mount Tabor, Mountain Lakes, Parsippany 07054, Pequannock 07440, Pine Brook 07058, Pompton Plains 07444, Riverdale 07457 , Rockaway 07866 , Towaco
Bergen County: Allendale 07401, Alpine, Bergenfield 07621, Bogota, Carlstadt, Cliffside Park, Closter, Cresskill, Demarest, Dumont, East Rutherford 07070 , Edgewater, Elmwood Park 07407, Emerson, Englewood 07631, Englewood Cliffs 07632, Fair Lawn 07410, Fairview, Fort Lee 07024, Franklin Lakes 07417, Garfield 07026, Glen Rock 07452, Hackensack 07601, Harrington Park, Hasbrouck Heights 07604, Haworth, Hillsdale 07642, Ho Ho Kus, Leonia 07605, Little Ferry, Lodi 07644, Lyndhurst 07071, Mahawah 07430, Maywood 07607, Midland Park 07432, Montvale 07645, Moonachie, Morsemere, New Milford 07646, North Arlington 07031, Northvale, Norwood, Oakland 07436, Old Tappan, Oradell, Palisades Park, Paramus 07652, Park Ridge 07656, Radburn, Ramsey 07446, Ridgefield 07657, Ridgefield Park 07660 , Ridgewood 07450 , River Edge 07661 , River Vale 07675 , Rochelle Park, Rockleigh, Rutherford 07070 , Saddle Brook 07663 , Saddle River 07458 , South Hackensack 07601, Teaneck 07666 , Tenafly 07670 , Teterboro, Upper Saddle River 07458 , Waldwick, Wallington, Washington Township, Westwood 07675 , Wood Ridge, Woodcliff Lake, Wyckoff 07481
Allendale 07401; Allwood 07012; Alpine 07401; Arlington 07032; Belleville 07109; Bergenfield 07621; Bloomfield 07003; Bloomingdale 07403; Bogota 07603; Boonton 07005; Brookdale 07003; Brookside 07926; Butler 07405; Caldwell 07007; Carlstadt 07072; Cedar Grove 07009; Cedar Knolls 07927; Chatham 07928; Cliff Park 07010; Cliffside Park 07010; Clifton 07013; Closter 07624; Convent station 07961; Cozy Lake 07438; Cresskill 07626; Cupsaw Lake 07456; Darlington 07446; Delawanna 07014; Demarest 07627; Denville 07834; Dover 07802; Dumont 07628; Dundee 07055; East Hanover 07936; East Rutherford 07073; Edgewater 07020; Elmwood Park 07407; Emerson 07630; Englewood 07631; Englewood Cliffs 07632; Erskine 07456; Essex Fells 07021; Fair Lawn 07410; Fairfield 07004; Fairview 07022; Fayson Lake 07405; Flanders 07836; Florham Park 07932; Fort Lee 07024; Franklin Lakes 07417; Garfield 07026; Glen Ridge 07028; Glen Rock 07452; Gordon Lakes 07480; Great Notch 07424; Grove 07003; Guttenburg 07093; Hackensack 07601; Haledon 07508; Harrington Park 07640; Hasbrouck Heights 07604; Haskell 07420; Haworth 07641; Hawthorne 07506; Hibernia 07842; Hillcrest 07502; Hillsdale 07642; Ho Ho Kus 07423; Jefferson Township 07438; Kearny 07032; Kenvil 07847; Kinnelon 07405; Lake Hiawatha 07034; Lake Intervale 07005; Lake Swannanoa 07438; Landing 07850; Ledgewood 07852; Leonia 07605; Lincoln Park 07035; Lindy Lake 07405; Lionshead Lake 07470; Little Falls 07424; Little Ferry 07643; Livingston 07039; Lodi 07644; Lower Montville 07045; Lyndhurst 07071; Lyonsville 07005; Madison 07940; Mahwah 07430; Maplecrest 07040; Maplewood 07040; Maywood 07607; Meadows 07096; Meriden 07005; Midland Park 07432; Midvale 07465; Millburn 07041; Mine Hill 07803; Montclair 07043; Montvale 07645; Montville 07045; Moonachie 07074; Morris Plains 07950; Morris Township 07960; Morristown 07960; Morsemere 07657; Mount Arlington 07856; Mount Freedom 07970; Mount Tabor 07878; Mountain Lakes 07046; Mountain View 07470; New Milford 07646; Newfoundland 07435; North Arlington 07031; North Bergen 07047; North Caldwell 07006; North Center 07003; North Haledon 07508; Northvale 07647; Norwood 07648; Nutley 07110; Oak Ridge 07438; Oakland 07436; Old Tappan 07675; Oradell 07649; Overbrook 07009; Packanack lake 07470; Palisade 07024; Palisades Park 07650; Paramus 07652; Park Ridge 07656; Parsippany 07054; Parsippany Troy Hills 07054; Passaic 07055; Paterson 07502; Peoples Park 07513; Pequannock 07440; Picatinny Arsenal 07806; Pine Brook 07058; Pine Cliff Lake 07480; Pines Lake 07470; Pluckemin 07978; Pompton Falls 07442; Pompton Junction 07457; Pompton Lakes 07442; Pompton Plains 07444; Preakness 07470; Prospect Park 07508; Radburn 07410; Ramsey 07446; Randolph 07869; Ridgefield 07657; Ridgefield Park 07660; Ridgewood 07451; Ringwood 07456; Ritz 07026; River Edge 07661; River Vale 07675; Riverdale 07457; Rochelle Park 07662; Rockaway 07866; Rockaway Valley 07005; Rockleigh 07647; Roseland 07068; Roxbury ; Rutherford 07070; Saddle Brook 07663; Saddle River 07458; Secaucus 07094; Shady Lake 07480; Short Hills 07078; Singac 07424; Skyline Lakes 07456; South Hackensack 07606; South Kearny 07032; South Orange 07079; Succasunna 07876; Tabor 07878; Taylortown 07005; Teaneck 07666; Tenafly 07670; Teterboro 07608; Totowa 07512; Towaco 07082; Town Center 07052; Troy Hills 07054; Upper Montclair 07043; Upper Saddle River 07458; Verona 07044; Waldwick 07463; Wallington 07057; Wanaque 07465; Warren 07059; Washington Township 07676; Watchung 07069; Watsessing 07003; Wayne 07470; West Caldwell 07006; West Milford 07480; West Orange 07052; Woodland Park (formerly West Paterson) 07424; Westwood 07675; Wharton 07885; Whippany 07999; Wood Ridge 07075; Woodcliff Lake 07677; Wyckoff 07481