A furnace is usually a background player at home, ensuring you're warm during the cold winter months. It frequently doesn’t get noticed until a malfunction appears.
One cause may be that your furnace has a cracked heat exchanger. It can be a safety risk, so it’s worthwhile to learn the symptoms of a cracked heat exchanger and what you can do if you believe that is the problem.
What Is a Heat Exchanger in a Furnace?
A heat exchanger helps transition heat from the combustion chamber inside your furnace to the air that circulates inside the system. It usually handles this with coils or tubes that heat the air while acting as a barrier to keep the gasses produced in the combustion chamber, called flue gasses, from leaking out into your home.
Is a Cracked Heat Exchanger Dangerous?
Because of its key role, it’s no surprise that a damaged heat exchanger can be hazardous. Cracks in the heat exchanger can allow dangerous gasses – including carbon monoxide, which can be lethal – to circulate across your home.
For that reason, don't ever turn on your heating if you suspect there's a crack in the heat exchanger, as this could make the entire household sick. Call an HVAC professional as soon as possible if you believe your heater has a cracked heat exchanger that should be repaired.
Four Signs of a Cracked Heat Exchanger:
- Furnace switches off: Cracks in the heat exchanger can cause your furnace to switch off.
- Unusual Smells: If the air escaping your furnace has a strong chemical scent, it may be evidence gas is leaking through cracks in your heat exchanger. These gasses, which will often smell like formaldehyde, are a common warning sign.
- Carbon monoxide alarm initiates or you recognize symptoms of poisoning: If a cracked heat exchanger is relieving carbon monoxide into your home, your carbon monoxide alarm may go off or household members might start experiencing signs of carbon monoxide poisoning. Complications include headaches, dizziness, weakness, nausea, vomiting or feeling drowsy. If an alarm goes off or you feel sick, get out of the home as soon as you can and then call for help.
- Soot: If you notice black sooty collecting around the exterior of your furnace, it’s more evidence something could be seriously wrong.
What You Can Do if a Furnace Heat Exchanger is Cracked
If you worry your furnace has a cracked heat exchanger, hire a pro well versed in furnace installation Philadelphia as soon as possible so they can examine your system and, if needed, handle a furnace heat exchanger replacement. Costs often vary depending on the situation, but estimates often hover around $1,000 to $3,000.
However, the good news is that heat exchangers are generally covered by the warranty. It's a good idea to review the warranty paperwork on your furnace, as 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 best ways to prevent a problem in your furnace overall is via consistent furnace maintenance. Furnaces offer the most benefits when they run efficiently. Contacting a trained professional to check your furnace for worn-out parts, clogged filters and other common problems can help you avoid getting a big bill later on.
It’s also helpful to inspect 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 connected to the heat exchanger itself, the strain of drawing air through a clogged filter makes the entire furnace work longer to do its job. And the harder your furnace works, the more strain parts like the heat exchanger will endure.