One thing our technicians look for when performing an annual maintenance on a customer's furnace is the presence of a cracked heat exchanger. Many people ask what this means for their furnace and if it is dangerous.
What exactly is a heat exchanger?
The heat exchanger in your furnace is the heart of the appliance and its main function is to heat the air. It is made up of series of coils that are looped around the air flow inside your furnace. Inside the coils the warm combustion gas heats the metal of the heat exchanger. As the furnace blower motor moves air across the hot coils, the warmed up air is blown into your furnace ducts and in turn heats your home. The most important feature of the furnace heat exchanger is that it protects the harmful combustion fumes from coming in direct contact with the surrounding air which is distributed around your house.
What is a cracked heat exchanger?
A cracked heat exchanger is exactly how it sounds - the metal coil of the heat exchanger has physically cracked. You can see on the picture below an example of a cracked heat exchanger that one of our technicians discovered during a customer's annual maintenance check. The technician used a camera scope to check inside the furnace and this larger crack was found.
The crack in a heat exchanger is usually caused by corrosion. Over time the metal coils can weaken from exposure to the combustion gases. We usually see cracked heat exchangers in furnaces that are over 15 years old. Even small cracks can present a big problem and will continue to widen over time. If a crack is found in the heat exchanger, the technician is legally obligated to shut the furnace down.
Is a cracked heat exchanger dangerous?
Yes. A cracked heat exchanger is dangerous and as stated above if one is discovered in your furnace, the technician will need to shut it down. Cracks in the heat exchanger coils will allow dangerous combustion gases to get into your air flow, exposing you and your family to exhaust fumes which can include carbon monoxide.
How can I protect myself from a cracked heat exchanger?
In order to protect your home ensure that you have carbon monoxide alarms installed on each floor, including the basement. Since carbon monoxide is odorless, these alarms are essential to ensure you are alerted in case there is a leak.
Schedule an annual maintenance check with Eastbridge Heating and Cooling. An annual check will allow us to inspect the heat exchanger and ensure the furnace is in proper working condition.
What happens if my furnace has a cracked heat exchanger?
If your furnace has a crack in the heat exchanger, the technician will issue an infraction and shut the appliance down.
It will be recommended that the furnace be replaced or the heat exchanger removed and replaced in the existing furnace. Luckily this problem rarely happens in furnaces that are less than 15 years old.
Ready to find out more?
Call Eastbridge Heating and Cooling today to schedule your annual maintenance check