A well-functioning heating system is critical for comfort and safety during the winter months. If the furnace heat exchanger is cracked, corroded or the metal has separated, deadly combustion exhaust fumes can seriously impact indoor air quality. These troubleshooting tips can help you identify a faulty heat exchanger and safeguard your home and family:
- Check the burner flame. Ideally, you should examine the flame to learn what it looks like when the furnace
is operating properly and the heat exchanger is intact, and then check it periodically. Under normal conditions, the flame should appear steady and have a blue tinge. If the flame is burning yellow or orange, or seems to jump or dance, it may be due to separations or cracks in the heat exchanger. - Look for signs of soot. Improper combustion caused by a faulty heat exchanger can lead to a soot buildup on the furnace components. If you see evidence of soot deposits anywhere inside the furnace or on the heat exchanger, contact a reputable HVAC contractor and have it inspected right away.
- Install carbon monoxide detectors. The heat exchanger separates combustion fumes from the air sent through the ductwork. If it’s compromised by cracks or separations, lethal carbon monoxide (CO) gas can circulate in the air your family breathes. You can reduce the risk of CO poisoning by having a carbon monoxide detector installed on every floor of the home. If the detector’s alarm is triggered by unsafe levels of this deadly gas, call the fire department and leave the house until the source is identified.
- Inspect the furnace for corrosion. Furnaces and boilers are often installed in a basement, where high humidity and/or moisture can cause corrosion. If the heating system components are starting to corrode, the metal heat exchanger may be rusting out, too. If it develops holes due to corrosion, having it repaired by a reputable heating specialist is essential to keep everyone in the home safe.
If you’re concerned that the furnace heat exchanger is cracked in your Twin Cities metro area home, contact us at Marsh Heating & Air Conditioning today.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about heat exchangers and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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