A huge majority of homes across the country are heated with gas furnaces, which rely on a heat exchanger to generate warmth. Gas powered furnaces are very popular option as they can warm your home quickly and are relatively affordable. Despite this, there are some drawbacks to these furnaces and one of them stems from potential problems with the heat exchanger. While mostly safe, there is a risk associated with a cracked heat exchanger that can be deadly. Gas furnaces often have several measures in place to ensure a shut down if there is a safety issue, but a cracked heat exchanger is one problem that can persist.
To learn more about the importance of making sure your heat exchanger is in proper operating condition, give us a call at 314-993-1110. Our heating & air conditioning experts can answer any questions you may have.
A Cracked Heat Exchanger Should Be a Cause for Concern
The heat exchanger in your furnace works by collecting the combusted gas in a shell-like component. This process heats the metal of the exchanger, causing it to reach very high temperatures. Your furnace’s blower then pushes air over the heat exchanger, which then goes into your ventilation system. However, if the heat exchanger is cracked or damaged, this can cause a number of potential problems including dangerous carbon monoxide risks.
Things to be concerned about if your exchanger is cracked:
- Carbon Monoxide – The largest threat that a cracked exchanger poses is letting carbon monoxide enter your home’s air. When your exchanger is cracked, it allows carbon monoxide to leak into your HVAC system. The level of this leakage depends on the crack and your system. This can cause illness for people in your home and in some extreme cases can result in fatalities from Carbon Monoxide poisoning.
- Poor Efficiency – Aside from the dangers posed to the safety of you and your family, a cracked exchanger means that your heating system is not operating at its full capacity. Lowered efficiency means you system has to work extra hard to heat your home, which shows up on your energy bills.
Should You Replace Your Furnace’s Exchanger?
This is a tricky question. Technically, a cracked heat exchanger can be fixed, but it is not recommended, as it will likely just crack again. We usually see this issue occurring in older furnaces, which means it may not be worth paying for a repair or replacement on your old system. Oftentimes, an expensive repair in an old system is not a great use of your money because you will likely end up paying for another costly repair later down the road. If your furnace is approaching between 10 and 15 years of use, and you experience problems with a cracked heat exchanger, you should usually consider a replacement. Also as a general rule, if a repair is going to cost half of your current systems value, you should just replace the system.
Call Galmiche & Sons for Reliable Heat Exchanger Advice
Worried about your heating & air conditioning system? Let us put your mind at ease. With decades of experience serving the greater St. Louis area, we can solve any issue you may have with your furnace or heat exchanger. Give us a call today at 314-993-1110. We are here to help.
