Finding out that your furnace has a cracked heat exchanger is never good news, though it’s certainly better to hear it with the bulk of winter in the rearview mirror. This means you’ll likely have some breathing room to figure out what to do with your busted furnace.
What is a heat exchanger?
The heat exchanger is what allows for the transfer of heat from the furnace burners to the air that gets circulated in your home. Once heat is generated by the combustion of fossil fuels, it’s combined with air passing through the heat exchanger and is then introduced into the living areas of your home. Though it’s not uncommon for an older furnace to develop some hairline fractures with the passage of time, it’s generally accepted that if light or liquid can pass through the crack, the furnace should be red-tagged (taken out of commission) until the problem is resolved.
What’s the big deal with a cracked heat exchanger?
It may be tempting to continue running your furnace despite a serious crack or hole in your heat exchanger, but this is a serious threat to your health and safety. Allowing the furnace to continue operating with a cracked heat exchanger could introduce harmful combustion particles and deadly carbon monoxide into your home.
What are my options?
When your furnace is red-tagged, you’ll have to either replace the cracked component, or upgrade your entire heating system. Unfortunately, the only time that it’s practical to replace only the heat exchanger is when your furnace is under 10 years old, the repair parts are covered under warranty and the labor costs for repair do not exceed 25 percent of the cost to buy a new furnace. Usually, the wisest option will be to buy a new high-efficiency furnace. While this will be a costly investment, you’ll begin receiving a payoff on your investment as soon as you receive your first significantly lower gas bill.
For more advice on dealing with a malfunctioning or disabled furnace, or for help selecting a new furnace for your Lorain area home, please contact us at Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Lorain, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about Cracks In Your Heat Exchanger and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning
1 (440) 246-5440
Serving the Lorain, OH Area