If your furnace has a cracked heat exchanger, it must be replaced. Even the best furnace repair service in Boise will tell you installing a new heater is the only option. The heat exchanger is a complex and expensive component. A damaged one is an immediate safety hazard and attempting heat exchanger replacement is risky and cost-prohibitive. We’ll look at how a heat exchanger works, ways to know it’s cracked, and why it requires furnace replacement by our experienced heating installation contractors.
Understanding Your Furnace’s Heat Exchanger
The heat exchanger is a metal casing containing tubes and coils. Inside it, heat is generated and transferred from one source to another. Air is moved by a blower around the heat exchanger. As it flows around the metal, it collects heat from the coils, warms up, and is blown into your home’s ventilation system. Meanwhile, combustion gasses are funneled into an exhaust pipe and vented outside.
Danger Signs of a Cracked Heat Exchanger
Heat is created in a sealed chamber. An airtight seal also prevents harmful gasses from escaping. Therefore, a heat exchanger crack can cause your furnace to malfunction. Numerous signs can indicate a heat exchanger failure, including the following:
- No Hot Air: Your furnace can stop producing hot air or the heat won’t turn on.
- Strong Odors: A gas or formaldehyde-like odor may be present.
- Yellow Furnace Flame: The flame should be blue; yellow or any other color indicates a problem.
- Strange Noises: Damaged metal can make rattling, banging, or popping sounds as it expands and contracts.
- Soot: You may see white soot in or around the burners if there’s a cracked heat exchanger. Black carbon buildup is also a sign of a problem.
- Corrosion: Corrosion on the surface of the furnace or on the inducer motor can occur if the heat exchanger is damaged.
- Pooling Water: The issue can cause water to pool up on the floor around your furnace.
- Carbon Monoxide (CO): Odorless and colorless yet extremely toxic, CO gas can escape cracks and enter your home. Leave your home if the CO alarm goes off and you or your family has unexplainable flu-like symptoms.
What to Do If You Suspect a Cracked Heat Exchanger
If you think the heat exchanger may be damaged, turn off your furnace. The unit might shut off if the metal casing is cracked. However, heating systems often keep running, which is extremely dangerous. A heat exchanger leak can be difficult to detect, but a visual inspection of the surface can reveal signs of damage such as rust, discolorations, cracks, or visible deformities such as dents or holes.
Heating repair professionals have other ways to check for a problem. Aside from a visual inspection, a pressure test is a common method. This involves pressurizing the heat exchanger with air or a fluid; the technician then monitors for pressure drops. Other ways to test for leaks include the following:
- Leak-Detection Liquid: Once applied to the surface, the fluid reacts with escaping air to produce bubbles if a leak is present.
- Dye Penetrant: A dye penetrant test helps expose cracks or holes as dye seeps into them; the dye is then removed and another substance helps make the damage more visible.
- Ultrasonic Testing: Using an ultrasonic device, high-frequency sound waves are sent through the metal; a leak causes them to reflect differently.
How to Prevent Future Heat Exchanger Problems
Scheduling annual heating maintenance can prevent premature heat exchanger failure. A technician can identify and resolve issues that may lead to holes or cracks. Heat exchanger cracks can be caused by reduced airflow that results from dirty filters. Therefore, cleaning and replacing filters can avoid airflow issues that may cause cracks to develop. Dirty fan blades, obstructed vents, and dirty ductwork can also damage the heat exchanger, so addressing these properly avoids costly heater replacement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why Is a Cracked Heat Exchanger So Dangerous?
This is a major furnace safety concern. A gas leak from a damaged heat exchanger can cause carbon monoxide poisoning. Symptoms to watch for include:
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Weakness
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Drowsiness
- Blurred vision
- Shortness of breath
- Confusion
- Loss of consciousness
Neurological symptoms, even after someone has recovered from CO poisoning, include memory loss, movement problems, and personality changes. Death can occur due to high concentrations of carbon monoxide. If caught early, carbon monoxide poisoning can be treated by getting fresh air and immediate medical attention.
Another danger of a cracked heat exchanger is a fire. Flames can escape the combustion chamber and spread to flammable materials. A buildup of combustible gasses can also lead to an explosion.
What Causes a Heat Exchanger to Crack?
A clogged air filter is one reason a heat exchanger can crack. Restricted airflow stresses the metal and cracks can form. An oversized furnace can overheat, which can crack the heat exchanger. However, normal wear and tear is the most common reason for heat exchanger failure. Metal fatigue happens as equipment ages so gas furnaces usually go many years before there’s a problem.
Do I Need to Replace a Furnace If the Heat Exchanger Is Cracked?
Only if your furnace is less than 10 years old may this be an option. However, a heat exchanger problem is uncommon with younger furnaces. Reasons to replace the entire furnace include the cost and complexity of the repair, the warranty has expired, and the appliance is old enough to justify replacing it with a newer, more efficient unit.
Have a Cracked Heat Exchanger? Call Express Plumbing
Providing heating and air services in Boise, ID, Express Plumbing, Heating & Air responds promptly when you have a furnace problem. Let us know whenever you’re not getting heat or you notice signs of heat exchanger failure. Our licensed technicians are led by a dedicated management team and deliver customized solutions with the highest-quality parts and materials. To request service or learn more about our financing or protection plans, call (208) 328-5313 today.
