When making a decision regarding your furnace, there are many considerations to make. Buying a furnace is a big purchase, and there are many options on the market to choose from. Before you make a decision, it is important to understand the difference between a variable speed motor and an ECM motor. These motors will be discussed, defined and explained in the following article.
What Is A Variable Speed Motor?
The first question that must be answered is what a variable speed furnace is. What the name “variable speed” refers to is the blower motor within the furnace. This blower motor allows for the air flow to change throughout the day as the house heats and cools. The ability to change and regulate on its own is where the word “variable” is brought into play.
Variable speed motors change temperature based on the static pressure within the house. So, if the duct system has collected extra dust or dirt, or you forget to change the air filter, that will not be a problem for the variable speed blower. The motor will recognize that the duct system is somewhat blocked up and will send more airflow in order to mitigate the problem. This effectively ensures that your home stays at the proper temperature.
Variable speed motors are also typically quiet because they gradually turn on and off. Variable speed furnaces are rather expensive in the beginning, but they save money on heating bills over time because they are more efficient than ECM motors.
What Is An ECM Motor?
ECM motors are another type of motor that is commonly used in furnaces. ECM stands for electronically commutated motor. As of a few years ago, ECM motors became the baseline for legal furnace motors. So any motor that was not as efficient as an ECM motor would no longer be acceptable. ECM motors have a regulator that uses settings that you can choose.
What Is The Difference Between Variable Speed And ECM Motors?
The largest difference between variable speed motors and ECM motors is that a variable speed motor is much more efficient. While ECM motors are efficient enough to be legally acceptable, they still have certain limitations. Because of the settings that an ECM has, it is unable to pull more air through the ducts when it needs to. This means that it will not be able to always keep your home perfectly warm or cool if the ducts or air filters are dirty.
Variable speed motors on the other hand are more efficient because they can draw air at any time due to being able to sense changes in the static pressure. These changes are automatic so that you do not have to change the regulator yourself. Overall, the variable speed furnace does a lot more for your home. Some contractors out there will say that ECM is better due to its lower price, but in terms of efficiency, the variable speed motor is superior.
Furnace Repairs, Replacements, & More
We at Genuine Comfort are experts in the HVAC industry. We not only provide our customers with great information regarding their furnaces, but we offer the very best service possible for furnace and air conditioning repairs, replacements, and more. To learn more about how we could be of service to you, feel free to reach out to us today.
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