What You Need to Know About a Cracked Heat Exchanger
What You Need to Know About a Cracked Heat Exchanger
11/21/2022
A gas-powered furnace is a system that is made to work effectively, efficiently, and, more importantly, safely. If a gas-powered furnace wasn’t able to work in a safe manner, it wouldn’t be allowed to be installed in the modern home.
With all this said, even the most well-made and safe furnace will fall prey to wear and tear over time. And one of the results of that wear and tear can be a cracked heat exchanger. And this is a problem that you want to address quickly. We’ll explain why below.
What You Need To Know About a Cracked Heat Exchanger
Your heat exchanger plays an important role in the heat process. A crack in the heat exchanger of your furnace should be addressed with prompt furnace repair in Powell, OH, provided by a professional technician.
Here’s what you need to know about this issue and how to handle it.
- Cracks may be more likely without maintenance: There is more than one reason why we encourage maintenance for every heating system out there. One of the big reasons is that it can help prevent repairs for a longer amount of time. Maintenance can help to reduce the chances that you need a repair to handle a cracked heat exchanger for several extra years.
- A crack will undermine efficiency and effectiveness: When a crack develops in your heat exchanger, it allows hot combustion gases to escape the system. This means it will take longer for the heat exchanger to heat up, leading to a larger use of fuel too. This means that a crack, even a small one, will end up reducing your furnace’s effectiveness at heating along with its overall energy efficiency.
- Cracks can become a big safety hazard: As you may have guessed, a crack in the heat exchanger of your furnace can present a safety hazard. This is because that crack allows combustion gases, which include things like carbon monoxide, to infiltrate the airflow entering your home. This can put everyone in the home at risk, especially if there are young children or elders in the home. Be on the lookout for signs of carbon monoxide poisoning which can include lightheadedness, dizziness, nausea, and more.
- You may notice a smell if your heat exchanger is cracked: Natural gas is tasteless and scentless so how can it have a smell? This is because most providers of natural gas will infuse the gas with a chemical that creates a distinct smell of sulfur or rotten eggs. So if you are running your furnace and start to smell rotten eggs, it may indicate a big issue.
How to Handle a Cracked Heat Exchanger
As you can see, a crack in the heat exchanger is something that should be taken seriously and dealt with sooner than later. Don’t try to do this yourself–call for a professional to assist in diagnosing and repairing your furnace’s heat exchanger. This way you can stay safe and ensure the job is done right.
Schedule your furnace services with Paramount Heating & Air. The service guys in the purple trucks are here to help!