How to Lubricate the Blower on an Electric Furnace
A furnace blower fan is an essential part of heating your home efficiently if you have forced air heat. Since these blowers have motors with rotary fans, the bearings of these fans can become dirty or poorly lubricated, which can result in an incessant squeaking or scraping sound whenever the furnace is run. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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1
Disconnect the power to your furnace.
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2
Open up the service hatch of your furnace. (Determine where the hatch is located using the instructions found on the furnace for most modern furnaces; if you still have the instruction manual it will also tell you how to open the service hatch.) Some service hatches are secured with thumbscrews, and some have regular screws that require a screwdriver. Usually there are four screws; unscrew them and lift off the service panel.
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3
Identify the blower fan. The blower fan will usually be in its own cylindrical housing with a grate cover on each end, and may be either driven directly by a motor or connected to the motor by a belt. Consult the instructions printed on the furnace or on the inside of the service hatch cover to positively identify the blower.
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Locate the oil ports at each end of the blower fan shaft, and squirt a small amount of SAE-10 nondetergent oil into each port.
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5
Put the service door back on, and reconnect the power. Listen for the blower to come on. If the squeaking has not improved, consult your furnace service manual for troubleshooting options or call a furnace service provider.
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Tips & Warnings
Do not use WD-40 to lubricate a furnace blower fan. While it will clean the bearings, it is not a long-lasting lubricant; the bearings will soon start squeaking again.
Extensive repairs should be performed by a qualified furnace service provider: if the fan still squeaks after you apply lubricant, the bearings might be worn out or there might be other problems with the blower assembly.
