Abstract: Compact and efficient apparatuses for transferring heat, heat exchangers, and furnaces, as well as HVAC units, HVAC systems, and buildings therewith, plus methods of making such devices. Furnace heat exchangers, for example, have an added stage, added in an unconventional way, that improves efficiency without unduly increasing size, while maintaining required radiuses of bends in tubing. Various embodiments orient bends at particular angles to allow stages to fit together more closely, provide improved structure for connecting stages using two collectors that seal against a common junction plate, provide for indoor air passing through the heat exchanger to pass through different passes of the heat exchanger in an unconventional order in order to provide greater compactness, or a combination thereof, as examples.

Abstract: A blower for a furnace is provided where the blower has an impeller that is configured to create a primary air flow of combustion air into the blower housing and a secondary air flow of cooling air through the blower motor. The primary air flow of combustion air into the furnace generates hot exhaust gases for a heat exchanger in the furnace. The secondary air flow cools the blower motor. The secondary air flow is mixed with the hot exhaust gases in the blower housing and cools the exhaust gases before being discharged from the blower housing. A control operates the blower for a time period after each combustion cycle to introduce ambient air into the exhaust flue and chimney to ensure the evaporation of any condensate forming from the products of combustion contained in the exhaust. The blower may be a variable or multi-speed motor so that a different motor speed may be used for combustion than for the run time after combustion.