A heat exchanger is made of thin metal, and as it heats up from the combustion of the furnace, it transfers the heat to the air being distributed through the house by the blower 3. The heat exchanger is a key part of the furnace and is responsible for the actual heating of air. The heat exchanger experts manual has proven useful to both home inspectors, hvac apprentices and seasoned technicians alike. The average life any given furnace is 15 to 20 years and then it needs to be replaced. Combustion pollutants, such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide, can cause eye and nose irritation, disorientation, sleepiness and nausea. Flame roll out left burner due to hole in heat exchanger. I noticed the other day the my how water boiler had flames dancing around underneath the heat exchanger. The reason a crack in a heat exchanger is such a cause for concernand reason to think about replacing a furnaceis because it creates a major health hazard. Hvac courses understanding your heat exchanger the. Note that the test for the heat exchanger is whether the blower causes the burner flames to waiver or blow around. We shut the furnace off if they have a cracked exchanger because eventually, it can potentially be a carbon monoxide co issue and because carbon monoxide is colorless, odorless and tasteless, people often mistake co poisoning symptoms with the flu.
From what ive been told and read, it could mean that my heat exchanger is cracked. This odor alone can cause severe headaches and other physical symptoms in humans. Because the heat exchanger is inside of your furnace and because it. The hot combustion gas in the heat exchanger heats up the metal walls. Recurring nose and or eye irritation, sleepiness, disorientation, and nausea would. Why do all furnaces eventually develop these cracks. Gas furnace heat exchanger failure exchanger longevity. A cracked heat exchanger in a gas furnace is a serious safety issue. Remove it from the furnace, and examine it in the light. The winter is here, and that means your homes furnace is an important piece of equipment. Residents are complaining of experiencing symptoms of headaches, watery eyes, and nausea technician a says that the furnace heat exchanger possibly is cracked. Why its important to have your furnace cleaned and inspected. The heat exchanger is a component of a heating system that transfers heat between fluids to either cool or heat up a home or building.
The heat exchanger is the furnace component that heats air. The heat exchanger in your furnace heats air traveling from one end to the other. A heat exchanger crack in a residential furnace large enough to cause trouble usually upsets a steady flame or causes the burner flames to roll out the front of the burner openings. Signs and symptoms of a cracked gas furnace heat exchanger. Other combustion pollutants like sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and carbon monoxide can cause nose and eye irritation, nausea, sleepiness, and disorientation. In addition to their writing and seminars, the prachs are called in to serve as expert witnesses in court cases regarding carbon monoxide poisonings and deaths in faulty heat exchanger and furnace systems. Do you have a cracked heat exchanger in your furnace.
When a heat exchanger becomes damaged and the combustion fumes and gases mix with the clean air, serious consequences can result. How to know if your heat exchanger is cracked flame furnace. If a heat exchanger develops cracks or holes, replacement of the appliance is imminent. If your heat exchanger has cracks, these cracks cause your furnace to perform inefficiently. The most toxic of these exhaust fumes is carbon monoxide, which can cause severe health problems.
In this video you will discover where all the lennox curved heat exchangers fail and why. When a gas furnace heat exchanger fails, not only is it dangerous and can result in carbon monoxide poisoning, the heat exchanger replacement cost is usually. Along with headaches, flulike symptoms can also indicate a cracked heat exchanger. In fact, he adds, most heat exchangers have a longer warranty than most other parts of the furnaceoften 10 to 25. When a crack develops, it is a very serious matter because your familys health and safety may become at risk.
Before you can do any repairs, you should make sure that you check over your furnace heat exchanger thoroughly. Furnaces as they age run the risk of developing cracks in the heat exchanger inside your furnace. It is important that the heat exchanger is taken care of as hazards can build from a faulty exchanger. Visually check heat exchanger for cracks you will find most cracks form near the back and where the heat exchanger metal bends, since this is where it will be weakest due manufacturer weakening the metal by bending it. Symptoms of a cracked secondary heat exchanger carrier. A broken heat exchanger increases the risk of fire and can distribute carbon monoxide fumes throughout your. Because it allows the exhaust fumes inside the exchanger to leak into the air. The fuel used to combust the heat is burning and needs to be contained inside the heat exchanger, when it is cracked or damaged. Carrier common furnace problems premature heat exchanger.
A furnace depends on the heat exchanger to contain these dangerous fumes and safely conduct them to the chimney while transferring the valuable heat into the home. Theres a lot of good info on there, but some of it is misleading and there are a lot of straw man arguments made. We frequently see too much furnace with too little ductwork or too little house. The furnace has several important components, and one of these is the heat exchanger. Whether you live in winnetka, glencoe or any suburb of chicago, your forced air furnace has a heat exchanger. A furnace with undersized ductwork will lack proper airflow and suffer a similar fate as that of a clogged filter. Instead, look for these telltale signs that your hvac system needs replacing. Sometimes a cracked heat exchanger has cracks that are simply too small and thin to be directly observed. Although unimpressive looking to untrained eyes, heat exchangers perform a vital part of the. A furnace heat exchanger works by literally exchanging or transferring the heat created in the combustion chamber to the exterior of the unit, where it is then blown through the ductwork throughout the house. At whipple plumbing, were on top of all your furnace repair needs, even if its just a.
A heat exchanger acts as a collection station for combustible gas and allows the gas to make the air reach a boiling hot temperature. If you smell a formaldehydelike odor, you should immediately call a professional for a furnace inspection. We give free second opinions on cracked heat exchangers. The cause of cracked heat exchangers avoid this common scam. Again, this means that the blower is pushing air into the heat exchanger. If you notice physical symptoms like headaches, nausea, eye irritation, or flulike symptoms that disappear when you leave your house, these could be caused by gases leaking from your heat exchanger if the exterior of your furnace looks corroded, cracked, or overly worn.
Located in the center of the furnace, it is where fire, gas and heat connect. Combustible gas increases in temperature and collects in the heat exchanger, allowing it to increase the temperature of the air. Prevent a cracked furnace heat exchanger romaniuk edmonton. Air and gas are separated within the heat exchanger to prevent mixing and exposure to harmful combustion byproducts, such as carbon monoxide. The dangers associated with a cracked heat exchanger inside the cabinet of your gaspowered furnace is a group a metal, clamshellshaped objects called heat exchangers. Combustion gases leaking from a cracked heat exchanger can cause frequent headaches as well as flulike symptoms. There are two camps ive run into regarding cracked heat exchanger. Can you repair a cracked heat exchanger on a gas furnace. Broken heat exchanger pacific coast heating and air. The heat exchanger in your hvac helps to transfer heat from the furnace to the air flowing through the ductwork. Rapidtechs technician development program offers the entire hvac heat.
In a home heater, the heat exchanger heats up the air that travels through the ventilation system. However, since furnaces use combustion to produce heat, you need to be aware of the risks of carbon monoxide poisoning. This makes heat transfer difficult which again causes the heat exchanger to overheat and crack. If you or other family members experience continual recurring headaches or flulike symptoms, this could indicate a cracked heat exchanger. 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. When you do find exchanger cracks on newer units you need to also looks for causes. Signs that your hvac system needs replacing networx. Signs of this may be frequent headaches, a burning feeling in nose or eyes, nausea, disorientation, flulike symptoms.
Even if you take good care of your heating system, the heat exchanger can simply crack from years of use. Here are some signs that may indicate your issue is a cracked or. Leaking gases can cause nose and eye irritation, sleepiness. Danger of a furnace with a cracked heat exchanger servicemax. When a furnace has a cracked heat exchanger, can it be. Basics and issues for furnace heat exchangers whipple. Be on the watch for symptoms of a cracked heat exchanger like. When you flip on the switch to turn on your furnace it will start to burn fuel that heats up the heat exchanger. Have you heard this one recently, you have a cracked heat exchanger and your furnace has to be replaced, today. Upflow furnace with atmospheric burner and bad heat exchanger. Unfortunately, many homeowners do something that can cause the heat exchanger to crack. Other combustion pollutants like sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and carbon monoxide can cause nose and eye irritation, nausea, sleepiness. Cracked or corroded gas furnace heat exchangers leak co and other poisonous gasses into the home living area though air ducts. Signs your heat exchanger is cracked romaniuk edmonton.
For homeowners with newermodel furnaces, there may be a more favorable outcome in the event that a crack develops in their heat exchanger. Recurring nose andor eye irritation, sleepiness, disorientation, and nausea would also all fall under this source umbrella. In a normal gas furnace, the flame will usually appear blue. Carbon monoxide is a byproduct of incomplete combustion of fuels such as petroleum and wood. This allows for some of the fumes from the furnace to be drawn into your living space, while the air in space can also be drawn into the combustion chamber. Technician b says that the furnace may only need cleaning and the heat exchanger is probably plugged. Heat exchanger can crack for various reasons and should be checked every time furnace is repaired or maintained. Using any fossil fuel furnace such as oil or gas to heat your home is one of the most popular and energyefficient methods on the market today. The heat exchanger may be under warranty from the manufacture, however this would need to be verify with the local supply house with your model and serial number off the furnace. The furnace usually sends the fumes out a flue, but a crack can allow some to seep out. A heat exchanger can be replaced without changing the entire furnace, says bob. If there is any furniture in the vicinity of the air vents which blocks them or you close the vents in some of your rooms, your furnace will receive a.
The heat exchanger is an expensive and vitally important part and if it cracks, youll have to replace the furnace unless the exchanger is under warranty. In the event that it is cracked, a bridge is created between these two areas. The heat exchanger is a metal container inside the furnace that collects hot combustion gas from the burners. If the heat exchanger is compromised by a crack or rust, flue gases and carbon monoxide will leak into the home resulting in illness and possibly death of the occupants. Look for signs that the metal has been overheated, or symptoms of longterm metal fatigue. A warning about cracked heat exchangers in gas furnace. This is a good example of what a flame disturbance looks like in an older furnace. The natural cycle of expansion and contraction will cause the metal in your heat exchanger to wear out after enough. Signs the heat exchanger in your home furnace is cracked. It is the part of the furnace that keeps the products of combustion separate from the air in your home. In this way, the combustion gas heats the air without the gas having ever to come in contact with it. Cracked heat exchanger furnace trouble shooting help.
When a furnace is improperly vented, it can leak this gas into your home before reaching the point of fatality, people can experience symptoms that are similar to the flu, including sleepiness, dizziness, and disorientation. The heart of any gasfired furnace is the heat exchanger. The blower fan of the furnace then comes on and sends air around the exchanger, where it picks up the heat from the furnace wall, then continues into the ducts. It transfers the heat from the gas burners to the air that circulates through the system. When the the cycle stops, i dont hear any hissing after which could mean water leaking out of the exchanger. This component cycles heat out of the combustion chamber and into the plenum. Combustion gases leaking from a cracked heat exchanger can be responsible for headaches as well as flulike symptoms. In some cases, carbon monoxide may not be leaked through a heat exchanger crack that doesnt mean a crack is not problematic. An oversized furnace can also cause the heat exchanger to overheat. Furnace repair technicians can also utilize infrared light detectors to find cracks if they are not visible with the naked eye.
Having a cracked heat exchanger can have a very adverse effect on the overall performance of your home heating equipment. Carbon monoxide, if present, could leak into your home undetected. An oversized furnace can also cause overheating and heat exchanger cracks. Many manufacturers offer a lifetime warranty on heat exchangers or even 20 years on the heat exchanger warranty. Combustion pollutants, such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide, cause eye and nose. It is a set of metal tubes or coils that connects to the burner assembly and ends at the vent or flue pipe. A gas furnace heat exchanger should last for the life of the gas furnace. Understandably, the larger the crack, the easier it is to detect by means of visual inspection.
A faulty heat exchanger will produce a strong and unpleasant odor that smells similar to formaldehyde. Unless you are one of the top 3% of people who have all the money, replacing the furnace is going to hurt the pocket book if you have not planed for it, but it has to be done. Both of those cause the heat exchanger to heat up and cool down far more often than if the furnace was closer to the proper size for the home or, better yet, was able to use a lower stage or modulate its heat output for smaller loads. What are some tell tale signs of a cracked heat exchanger. I would also, question the heat exchanger crack, as some furnace have whats called a front plate. The furnace heat exchanger is the one of the main components inside the gas furnace and its used to transfer the heat from the gas burner to the warm air thats blown into your home. When we rely on our eyes to find every issue we can easily miss. Heat exchangers are one of the most important components of a gasfired or oilfired furnace. Furnace heat exchanger crack symptoms in the event the furnaces heat exchanger inside youre your las vegas, nevada valley home gets cracked, it can bring on very hazardous conditions. If your heat exchanger gets cracked it can cause serious problems for your homeincluding carbon monoxide poisoning. Carbon monoxide is an odorless, poisonous gas that leads to fatalities.
1454 1544 1593 424 1428 186 1391 1513 287 2 602 524 612 1458 828 166 1158 171 796 1299 293 1020 797 1044 817 338 460 129 947 917 1447 1277 475 24 579 992 1051 136 1221 317