Simply put, the furnace heat exchanger is the part of your furnace that actually heats the air. Careful examination and testing indicated 14 separate problems, either related to original improper installation or poor maintenance. You must also call for hvac professionals assistance if the co detectors in your home go off. This is a labor intensive repair, so now the question becomes the costbenfit analysis of repair vs. Serious cracks were found at tubetotubesheet welds during the start up operation of a cracked gassteam heat exchanger in a gas plant. What are the common causes of heat exchanger in a gas.
You can see by the discoloration of the pipes caused by high temperature. The only way to ensure your furnace is operating efficiently and safely is to hire a qualified furnace technician. Mostly they are aluminized sheet steel, aluminized to reduce rusting. If your heat exchanger is most likely the issue, its time to call in a professional.
When a crack develops, it is a very serious matter because your familys health and safety may become at risk. Most furnaces will have a safety that shuts down the burner when a flame roll out is detected. This video is about the your heat exchanger is cracked so your furnace must be replaced scam. If you get a cracked heat exchanger diagnosis learn how not to get. Depending on where the crack is, the supply fan creates a positive pressure on the outside of the heat exchanger that can blow air inside the heat exchanger and on to the flame. Can you repair a cracked heat exchanger on a gas furnace. Welding a heat exchanger terry love plumbing advice. You may find that for not much more money, you can get a new, higher efficiency furnace that will provide much higher return on your investment, and may even quality for tax credits. Cracked heat exchanger in furnace terry love plumbing. Whether you live in winnetka, glencoe or any suburb of chicago, your forced air furnace has a heat exchanger. When a heat exchanger becomes damaged and the combustion fumes and gases mix with the clean air.
If your heat exchanger is faulty, youll need to either replace it, or the entire furnace. At its outset, a cracked heat exchanger is a problem that will go unnoticed by most homeowners. The reason a crack in a heat exchanger is such a cause for concernand reason to think about replacing a furnaceis because it creates a major health hazard. Furnace heat exchanger issues can lead to a system breakdown. The heat exchanger was found cracked, however, this alone did not cause the poisoning. The chamber sits next to a heat exchanger, which transfers heat but not gases. These detectors are a must if you use natural gas in your home. This video is part of the heating and cooling series of training videos made to accompany my websites. When a furnace has a cracked heat exchanger, can it be. The gasses condensed in the heat exchanger and rusted it out.
Other than this, there really isnt anything else that can definitively give you an answer. We will talk about what a furnace heat exchanger is, how it works and what you should do if yours fails. But the decision to repair or replace a heating unit can be difficult. When we pointed it out to the powers that be the local building inspector, who also happens to be a local plumber, said he would just weld it shut. Broken and leaking heat exchangers are responsible for about 1,500 deaths per year in the united states, and many more people are poisoned by exposure to toxic gasses that go unfiltered by defective heat exchangers. If you would like more info on cracked heat exchangers or if you need to schedule a free second opinion, feel free to call our office at 9377480220 or. The american gas association has even put this in writing they say any visible crack or hole is reason for requiring replacement of the heat exchanger or furnace. What type of heating system do you use to warm up your house during a tough chicagoland winter. He or she can use a combustion gas analyzer to determine if it is your heat exchanger or not. If you have an iron heat exchanger, then you need to find an iron repair liquid, which uses chemical reactions to seal holes in iron. Heat exchanger can crack for various reasons and should be checked every time furnace is repaired or maintained. This is dangerous, as one of the gases produced by the heat exchanger is carbon monoxide, a deadly. This could also be caused by operating the furnace with a low return air temperature.
The first step is simply to look where most homeowners can t. You want to have the best possible hvac company in florence, or to help. You would have to remove the front plate and inspect the heat exchanger for crack in that spot. A furnace with a cracked heat exchanger is usually an exception, because of the cost of the repair. The heat exchanger on a furnace is the section that keeps the combustion chamber and the breathing air separate 3. The heat exchanger has a warranty of 20 years, but shipping and installation will still be costly and a pain. Cracked heat exchanger deciding to repair or replace depending on the age of your furnace, a cracked heat exchange probably means you need a new system. Here are five signs that you need to call reimer for furnace repair here in buffalo. If the furnace is not ancient, and not made by an unknown maker, the heat exchanger module is probably still available as a repair part.
When a heat exchanger becomes damaged and the combustion fumes and gases mix with the clean air, serious consequences can result. Located in the center of the furnace, it is where fire, gas and heat connect. Furnace heatexchanger crack signs your furnace has one. A warning about cracked heat exchangers in gas furnace. The cause of the failure has been analyzed, and the. A warning to you cracked heat exchangers dont get scammed. We frequently see too much furnace with too little ductwork or. The danger of a cracked combustion chamber is that it can allow flue gasses to enter the house presenting a toxic hazard to the occupants. Cracked heat exchanger deciding to repair or replace.
A lawsuit was filed against the furnace manufacturer. But you can monitor the furnace for problems by looking for signs of wear. Apr 29, 2016 this one takes apart the ruudrheem heat exchanger to inspect the cracks. A furnace with large, open heat exchanger cracks should not be operated until repairs are made. Aug 31, 2015 this video is about the your heat exchanger is cracked so your furnace must be replaced scam. Jan 04, 2008 weld the sheet metal some more as it dries. Some holes or small openings may have been there for years. Over time, cracks can form, allowing toxic gases to escape. He found a cracked heat exchanger and red tagged the furnace. It is important that the heat exchanger is taken care of as hazards can build from a faulty exchanger. If you notice a clicking sound from the furnace after the blower shuts off, you may have a cracked heat exchanger. The problem with finding a crack in a furnace heat exchanger is that you can see very little of the heat exchanger without disassembling the furnace.
If you are inspecting your heat exchanger for cracks, check the bends or weld areas first. A flame roll out will occur when the crack opens far enough. If i can go back to my cancer analogy, you would never expect a doctor to say yeah, we found some cancer, but its really in a noncritical area and you re feeling just. The service technician has the time, experience, or even reason to suspect the exchanger is cracked.
If you find that your furnace heat exchanger has trouble getting enough heat and power, then you may find that it has developed a crack or hole. The heat exchanger is a metal container inside the furnace that collects hot combustion gas from the burners. Mar 11, 20 i am, however, going to say that every single cracked heat exchanger does need to be replaced, either through a complete furnace replacement or changing out the heat exchanger. A damaged heat exchanger in a gas furnace is potentially dangerous to a homes occupants and should not be ignored.
We are working in a municipal building in ny where we found a cracked heat exchanger in one of the furnaces. Do you have a cracked heat exchanger in your furnace. If i can go back to my cancer analogy, you would never expect a doctor to say yeah, we found some cancer, but its really in a noncritical area and youre feeling just. In this way, the combustion gas heats the air without the gas having ever to come in contact with it. Danger of a furnace with a cracked heat exchanger servicemax. What shape these coils take is dependent on what model of furnace you have, as well as what. Rarely is welding a cracked heat exchanger successful as they will usually crack again either through or right along the weld. May 01, 2010 if the furnace is not ancient, and not made by an unknown maker, the heat exchanger module is probably still available as a repair part.
However, professional hvac technicians always check heat exchangers for damage during their preseason maintenance inspection. The your heat exchanger is cracked so your furnace must be. Cracked heat exchanger furnace trouble shooting help. However, this maybe fall under the heat exchanger warranty. They are thin to promote heat transfer to the passing air stream. Signs your heat exchanger is cracked romaniuk edmonton. Thats a problem that usually ends the life of an older furnace. Through this crack, combustion fumes can escape from the exchanger, and can build up in the room. My question is this is it legal to weld a crack in the heat exchanger. The cause of cracked heat exchangers avoid this common scam. When you add up utility rebates, tax credits, factory rebates, and the energy savings of a properly sized furnace, a furnace replacement can actually be cheaper than repairing the old furnace. Dangerous cracked heat exchangers in furnaces fossil fuels and cracked heat exchangers anyone who has an oil or gas boiler, oil or gas furnace, gas logs whether they be propane or natural gas, a gas stove or oven, or any woodburning appliance or fireplace, or appliance or heating device that burns fossil fuels you need a carbon monoxide. But, thats what happens if your hvac tech determines you have a cracked heat exchanger. Common myths regarding furnace heat exchangers youtube.
A crack in your heat exchanger is no trivial matter. Due to safety concerns and possibly voiding the manufacturers warranty, you do not want to repair the furnace either. There is a hose you can install as well that will absorb vibration. If the heat exchanger is not cracked, you can replace the front plate. When the furnace was being installed, i did notice the sloppy welding on the heat exchanger seams, but i assumed it would be ok. How to determine if your furnace combustion chamber is cracked. The heat exchanger in a furnace separates the combustion process from your breathing air. If it is a small hole or crack, then it is a minor issue that needs to be corrected generally by replacing the furnace or heat exchanger. This condition is most easily illustrated using a forced air furnace as an example. Have you been told the heat exchanger in your furnace is cracked.
An oversized furnace can also cause overheating and heat exchanger cracks. This effect will get worst as the furnace heats up from expansion and the crack gets bigger. If it is your heat exchanger, you cannot run your furnace, even if it. It can also be the most dangerous, if something goes wrong with it. Your furnaces heat exchanger is one of the most important aspects of your furnace.
If you need furnace repair and maintenance, it is crucial that you find a. Furnace heat exchanger temporary fix that is most certainly not a final repair, not just because the heat exchangers normal operating temperature exceeds the epoxys 500 f rating, but because where theres one pinhole theres bound to be more. Some cracks have been known to only open when the unit is fired and the heat exchanger metal is hot. The heat exchanger is a key part of the furnace and is responsible for the actual heating of air. Replacing a furnace heat exchanger requires a qualified hvac professional. It is the part of the furnace that keeps the products of combustion separate from the air in your home. Heat exchangers on forced air furnaces are rarely, if ever, made from cast iron. I am, however, going to say that every single cracked heat exchanger does need to be replaced, either through a complete furnace replacement or changing out the heat exchanger.
Many times a heat exchanger that has areas of concern or a crack will not. This heat exchanger was on a furnace that was overfired. Only a professional hvac technician can help determine the source of the issue. If we do find a leak in the heat exchanger, and since its only 7 weeks old, i wonder if welding any leaks. A heat exchanger is made of thin metal, and as it heats up from the combustion of the furnace, it transfers the heat to the air being distributed through the house by the blower 3.
We find some cracked heat exchangers from the pilot lights that are blown out. A furnace with a cracked heatexchanger is usually an exception, because of the cost of the repair. Signs and symptoms of a cracked gas furnace heat exchanger. This heat exchanger was in a furnace that was underfired. Furnace heat exchangers what is a heat exchanger in a furnace. When you turn on a forced air furnace, the gas burners ignite and the flames begin to heat the chamber. For carbon monoxide to leak from a cracked heat exchanger, two things.
The blower fan of the furnace then comes on and sends air around the exchanger, where it picks up the heat from the furnace wall, then continues into the ducts. This one takes apart the ruudrheem heat exchanger to inspect the cracks. Visually check heat exchanger for cracks you will find most cracks form near the back and where the heat exchanger metal bends, since this is where it will be weakest due manufacturer weakening the metal by bending it. Pour a little bit of the chemical on the hole, and leave it to dry until it seals around the exchanger. Any one or a combination of these factors can result in a heat exchanger. If the heat exchanger is cracked its is not recommended to use the furnace.
Why you cant repair or replace a heat exchanger broadleys. A furnaces heat exchanger is a set of tubes or coils that are looped repeatedly through the air flow inside your furnace for the purpose of heating air. These are the weak areas most likely to break first. Some other defects that can effect the safe operation of you furnace are. Also, if you talk to any forced air furnace manufacturer, they will tell you, and put it in writing that a failed hx can not be repaired, and that it must be replaced. Theres a lot of good info on there, but some of it is misleading and there are a lot of straw man arguments made. Can any welder guarantee that weld will seal the crack, and not damage the integrity of the heat exchanger, no they can t.
Dec 02, 2015 when you add up utility rebates, tax credits, factory rebates, and the energy savings of a properly sized furnace, a furnace replacement can actually be cheaper than repairing the old furnace. The heat exchanger is a set of coils or tubes typically located above the blower and below the plenum, where the pilot light starts. If you find water on the floor at the base of your furnace, and you dont have a furnace condensation issue, theres a strong likelihood its your heat exchanger. If our team finds a cracked heat exchanger, they cannot legally allow the heating system to continue. The crack is open when the heat exchanger metal is at or close to room temperature. Welding furnace heat exchanger practical machinist.