This step isnt really all that relevant to beth, who has a good deal of base knowledge already, but seeing as. Read our blog to learn what to do if this happens to you. Some people choose to live in denial of the seriousness of a cracked heat exchanger. I just got an alert on these for cracked heat exchangers. If theres a crack in this component, the gases being burned off, such as carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrous oxide, could leak into your home, causing illness or, in extreme cases, death. Should i replace my furnaces heat exchanger or get a new. However, professional hvac technicians always check heat exchangers for damage during their preseason maintenance inspection.
Older furnaces can develop major issues, such as a cracked heat exchanger. A technician tells you that there is a crack in the heat exchanger. If i can go back to my cancer analogy, you would never expect a doctor to say yeah, we found some cancer, but its really in a noncritical area and youre feeling just. Its sad but true that some unscrupulous hvac contractors will try to convince you that your furnace heat exchanger is cracked when it. They can come inspect your furnace and determine if you do indeed have a cracked heat exchanger. Very few, if any, furnaces with a typical small crack or hole in the heat exchanger show elevated levels of carbon monoxide. When a gas furnace has a cracked heat exchanger you can sometimes become aware of it when you first fire it up. Miss a cracked heat exchanger and you put the homeowners at risk. I wrote a blog post many years ago discussing that topic, and the gist of my blog post was the same as whats stated on the comyths web site.
Is a cracked heat exchanger really that big of a deal. Our service technicians identify a cracked heat exchanger using specialty tools and video inspection systems to examine it closely. Even if the hx is under warranty, the associated parts and labor are no. Proper diagnosis of a failed or cracked heat exchanger. The clicking sound you hear could be the metal in heat exchanger heating up the cracks and they start to expand a tiny bit. Other than this, there really isnt anything else that. The first step is simply to look where most homeowners cant. Over time, expansion and contraction has the same effect on a heat exchanger that. If there ever happens to be a crack, or break in the venting, then there is a chance the co can get inside the house. Does the flame move as though air is passing over it. A damaged heat exchanger in a gas furnace is potentially dangerous to a homes occupants and should not be ignored. Weve met with lots of homeowners looking for a second opinion about a supposedly cracked heat. As standard practice and in addition to physically observing the presence of a hole or crack, cameras are used. The crack is open when the heat exchanger metal is at or close to room temperature.
In most cases, if the heat exchanger is cracked, your hvac company will recommend replacing the entire furnace. How can i be sure that my heat exchanger really has failed. A cracked heat exchanger is pretty serious, as far as safety for your home goes. If thats the case, then its usually not worth the money to replace the heat exchanger. A cracked heat exchanger allows air from the furnace blower to interfere with the flame causing it to flutter or even roll out. Cracks in heat exchangers are the leading cause of carbon monoxide being. As a relatively new homeowner of an older house, ive found it to be very educational and a valuable resource. Those issues have nothing to do with the heat exchanger, cracked or otherwise. Back in the day, the only way to check a heat exchanger for cracks was to perform a visual inspection.
Almost every single heat exchanger in that model line cracked. A crack in your system heat exchanger exponentially increases the chances of a carbon monoxide leak into your homes air supply. The combustion analyzer also helps us gauge the overall performance of your furnace. Cracked heat exchangers are more common than you think. Diagnosis of a heat exchanger crack typically starts with a noheat service call.
I told her to replace due to possible carbon monoxide poisoning. The most common reason a heat exchanger cracks is normal wear and tear. Beware of an unethical technician who finds a crack with a camera on a furnace that seems to be running just fine. Cracks in the heat exchanger or fire box is no laughing matter. Simply put, the heat exchanger is the part that will heat the air.
This was a rather hit or miss method, and far from perfect. Im starting to smell a scam at this point, but i let him continue. Heated up metal expands, and when it cools off it contracts. Combustion pollutants, such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide, can cause eye and nose irritation, disorientation, sleepiness and nausea. The american gas association allows two options after discovering a cracked heat exchanger. Back before scope cameras and combustion analyzers, the only way to really check for cracks and holes in a heat exchanger was to perform an exterior visual inspection. If a heat exchanger becomes cracked, then your heating system will not perform as it should.
Combustion gases leaking from a cracked heat exchanger can cause frequent headaches as well as flulike symptoms. No matter who you ask, replacing a heat exchanger will be expensive. Many hvac contractors find cracked heat exchangers using visual analysis and use the results to recommend furnace replacement. I showed me what could be a crack hairline semicircle in one of the indented circles in the metal. Since most heating breakdowns happen in the dead of winter, you find yourself scrambling to get a replacement in the freezing cold. A cracked heat exchanger is a dangerous situation that requires you to stop using your heating system until it is replaced. Simple things like blocked or broken flues, open returnair panning or open returnair ducts near the furnace or insufficient combustion air are the causes for the majority of carbon monoxide issues. Light a match and hold it up to each heat exchanger opening. There is a possibility that those poisonous gasses from your burners could leak into the air being blown throughout your home. When the the cycle stops, i dont hear any hissing after which could mean water leaking out of the exchanger. In the same way, a cracked heat exchanger needs to be replaced. If the furnace repair technician tells you that your heat exchanger is cracked, insist that they show it to you.
There are certain signs to look for to determine if the heat exchanger has been cracked. Cracks in the heat exchanger are a serious problem and one that should not be ignored both for the safety of your home and for the longevity of your furnace. I went to a customers house whos heat exchanger was rusting on a 20 year old furnace. At the first visit, the technician came to me before the job was even finished and warned me that the heat exchanger was cracked and that this posed a major risk for carbon monoxide poisoning, placing my family in risk of death, and that the furnace should be replaced. Signs and symptoms of a cracked gas furnace heat exchanger. What is a cracked heat exchanger and can it be fixed. Signs your heat exchanger may be cracked or damaged include. Unfortunately, you cant really know for sure you have a cracked heat exchanger without an hvac technicians inspection. Fortunately, compass heating and air is here to help. This video is part of the heating and cooling series of training videos made to accompany my websites. If so, exchanger is cracked and should be replaced. Broken and leaking heat exchangers are responsible for about 1,500 deaths per year in the united states, and many more people are poisoned by exposure to toxic gasses that go unfiltered by defective heat exchangers. Used permatex red to replace gasket to secondary heat. Notice when the main blower kicks on the flame will become unstable and flicker or.
This trips a safety switch and shuts down the furnace. Why cracked heat exchangers need to be replaced primex. It uses fuel to combust the inside of it and creates heat to get very hot. The dangers of a cracked heat exchanger help heating. A crackedplugged heat exchanger can produce more then 5000 ppm in the exhaust. The exhaust from a furnace with a dual heat exchanger is cooler, meaning more of the energy your hvac system consumes is converted into useful heat for your home. If its cracked, it may allow potentially lethal carbon monoxide co and other combustion byproducts into your homes airstream. This one takes apart the ruudrheem heat exchanger to inspect the cracks. At its outset, a cracked heat exchanger is a problem that will go unnoticed by most homeowners. Carbon monoxide and heat exchangers service experts. The american gas association has even put this in writing they say any visible crack or hole is reason for requiring replacement of the heat exchanger or furnace.
Cracked heat exchanger furnance repair in anderson. If you have a cracked heat exchanger, in most cases it should be replaced. Second, the entire furnace may need to be replaced. Go on living your life and well deal with this when it really becomes a. The best thing to do is just replace the furnace, as replacing a heat exchanger requires a lot of labor time and is almost never worth it, especially on an old furnace. He operned up a port and took a mirror to assess if there were any heat exchanger cracks as the plenum is narrow and i have a 110 input90 output btu unit for a house rated at 75 btu. If the furnace is very old then the heat exchanger may not be available.
A cracked heat exchanger allows air from the furnace blower to. When you think of all the important parts of your heater from the perspective of a homeowner, youre probably thinking about the vents, the furnace itself, and maybe your thermostat if youre really thinking outside of. The service technician has the time, experience, or even reason to suspect the exchanger is cracked. Were you recently told that your furnace heat exchanger is cracked and needs to be replaced. Cracked heat exchangers pose a risk of carbon monoxide poisoning carbon monoxide is produced by combustion but is typically vented safely from the furnace out of the home, but if the heat exchanger is cracked, carbon monoxide can leak into the home. Over the years the constant heating and cooling off of your heat exchanger can cause cracks in the metal. But yes, bad heat exchangers will cause the furnace to start burning poorly, and making high levels of co as a result. Do you have a cracked heat exchanger in your furnace. The heat exchanger warranties are normally a parts warranty only and labor, freight and handling are not covered by the warranty. Not surprisingly, cracked heat exchangers were underreported. A heat exchanger is the metal component in a furnace that allows for heat transfer. I am, however, going to say that every single cracked heat exchanger does need to be replaced, either through a complete furnace replacement or changing out the heat exchanger.
In essence, it separates the airstream from the fire. Forced air furnace with a cracked heat exchanger questions. Apparently, when heat exchangers get very hot the metal expands and the cracks open up, allowing air to leak in to or out of the heat exchanger. As a homeowner, getting the news that your heat exchanger is cracked is a bit of a harsh blow. We use it to check co levels given in parts per million, or ppm and determine for sure whether theres a crack in your heat exchanger. Unfortunately, for older furnaces, it can be more difficult to find a matching heat exchanger. What does a cracked heater exchanger mean for my furnace. You can just have the heat exchanger replaced, but it is an expensive repair, and a new furnace is often the smarter investment.
Find them too often, and your company could get a rep for using scare tactics. He pulls off the panel, shoves a mirror inside and takes a quick 10 second peek before confirming his diagnosis that it is in fact a cracked heat exchanger and that the unit will need to be replaced. If the technician isnt willing to show you the crack, you have good reason to be suspicious. Then, the fanblower motor will blow the air over the heat exchanger and into your ductwork so it can be distributed around your home or office building. The combustible gas will become hotter as it accumulates in the exchanger. If your heat exchanger is cracked, however, this could prove problematic for homeowners.
She said she had detectors and asked weather there could be possible danger of a fire breaking out. From what ive been told and read, it could mean that my heat exchanger is cracked. If an hvac company says i have a cracked heat exchanger in. There are older, traditional ways for finding cracked heat exchangers, such as smoke bomb methods, which contractors have relied on for years. If your heat exchanger is cracked, your furnace is probably nearing the end of its life 1820 years. To really understand why a damaged heat exchanger is so problematic, and how your home warranty company can help, we have to go over the basics of how a. Some cracks have been known to only open when the unit is fired and the heat exchanger metal is hot. Its not hard to see a furnace has a cracked heat exchanger by the naked eye. What are some tell tale signs of a cracked heat exchanger. Its not unlike a doctor telling you about the c word. He or she can use a combustion gas analyzer to determine if it is your heat exchanger or not. If the heat exchanger is cracked, the meter will show us. A cracked heat exchanger cannot be properly repaired by any accepted trade practice. It consists of tubes and coils that are looped around.
You know its serious and you know you need to do something about it. These cracks above are very serious to the health of you and your family. Home warranties and cracks in your furnaces heat exchanger. I wasnt sure if it was so just wanted some info of the possible dangers if the heat exchanger cracked on a furnace. I noticed the other day the my how water boiler had flames dancing around underneath the heat exchanger. Service experts natecertified technicians have received specialized training in identifying a cracked heat exchanger. The cause of cracked heat exchangers avoid this common scam.
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