A furnace is almost always a background player at home, ensuring you're warm during the cold winter months. It often won't be noticed until a malfunction appears.
One cause may be that your furnace has a cracked heat exchanger. It can potentially be hazardous, so it’s important to familiarize yourself with the symptoms of a cracked heat exchanger and what you can do if you suspect that might be the problem.
What Is a Heat Exchanger in a Furnace?
A heat exchanger helps transition heat from the combustion chamber in your furnace to the air that flows through the system. It generally accomplishes this with coils or tubes that heat up the air while acting as a barrier to keep byproducts created in the combustion chamber, called flue gasses, from escaping out into your home.
Is a Cracked Heat Exchanger Dangerous?
Given its key role, it isn't surprising that a broken heat exchanger can be very dangerous. A crack in the heat exchanger can enable dangerous gasses – like carbon monoxide, which can be lethal – to circulate across your home.
For obvious reasons, never use your heating if you suspect you're dealing with a cracked heat exchanger, as this could make your entire family ill. Call an HVAC professional right away if you believe your heater has a cracked heat exchanger that needs to be repaired.
Four Signs of a Cracked Heat Exchanger:
- Furnace shuts off: A cracked heat exchanger can cause your furnace to switch off.
- Odd Smells: If the air escaping your furnace has a strong chemical scent, it could be a sign gasses are slipping through cracks in your heat exchanger. These gasses, which can smell like formaldehyde, are a common warning sign.
- Carbon monoxide alarm goes off or you notice poisoning symptoms: If a cracked heat exchanger is releasing carbon monoxide into your home, your carbon monoxide alarm should go off or household members might experience signs of carbon monoxide poisoning. Complications include headaches, dizziness, weakness, nausea, vomiting or feeling tired. If the alarm goes off or you feel unwell, leave the home as soon as you can and then call for help.
- Soot: If you see black sooty buildup near the exterior of your furnace, it’s more evidence something may be seriously wrong.
What to Do if the Furnace Heat Exchanger is Cracked
If you suspect your furnace has a cracked heat exchanger, call a professional experienced in furnace installation Bremerton as soon as possible so they can take a look at your system and, if necessary, handle a furnace heat exchanger replacement. Costs will vary depending on the situation, but estimates often hover around $1,000 to $3,000.
However, the good news is that heat exchangers are often protected by the warranty. It's a good idea to check the warranty paperwork on your furnace, since while the warranty won't always cover the entire cost of repairs, it still may significantly shrink your bill.
How to Avoid a Cracked Heat Exchanger in Your Home
One of the most convenient ways to avoid problems in your furnace overall is through routine furnace maintenance. Furnaces provide the best possible return on investment when they operate efficiently. Calling a skilled professional to check your furnace for worn-out parts, clogged filters and other common problems can keep you from getting a big bill later on.
It’s also beneficial to take a look at your furnace filters every few months – it’s ideal some filters be changed every 90 days or sooner if they are dirty or grimy. While the filters aren't a part of the heat exchanger itself, the strain of dragging air through a clogged filter makes your entire furnace work harder to do its job. And the harder your furnace works, the more deterioration components like the heat exchanger will experience.
