A furnace is often a background player in your home, helping keep you warm in the cold winter months. It often doesn’t get noticed until something breaks down.
One cause might be that your furnace has a cracked heat exchanger. It’s a potentially dangerous issue, so it’s critical to familiarize yourself with the signs of a cracked heat exchanger and what to do if you are worried that might be the problem.
What Is a Heat Exchanger in a Furnace?
A heat exchanger helps transition heat from the combustion chamber in your furnace to the air that circulates through the system. It usually handles this using coils or tubes that heat the air while serving as a barrier to keep the gasses formed in the combustion chamber, called flue gasses, from getting out into your home.
Is a Cracked Heat Exchanger Dangerous?
Given its central role, it shouldn't come as a surprise that a broken heat exchanger can be hazardous. A damaged heat exchanger can enable dangerous gasses – like carbon monoxide, which can be lethal – to be distributed through your home.
For this reason, never turn on your furnace if you think it has a cracked heat exchanger, as letting it run could make the entire family ill. Contact an HVAC professional right away if you think your heater has a cracked heat exchanger that needs repair.
Four Warning Signs of a Cracked Heat Exchanger:
- Furnace turns off: A cracked heat exchanger may cause your furnace to turn off.
- Unusual Smells: If the air coming out of your furnace has a powerful chemical scent, it may be evidence gas is seeping through cracks in your heat exchanger. These byproducts, which will often smell like formaldehyde, are a major warning sign.
- Carbon monoxide alarm goes off or you recognize symptoms of poisoning: If a cracked heat exchanger is relieving carbon monoxide in your home, your carbon monoxide alarm may go off or household members might struggle with signs of carbon monoxide poisoning. Side effects include headaches, dizziness, weakness, nausea, vomiting or feeling tired. If your alarm goes off or you feel sick, leave the home right away and then call for help.
- Soot: If you find black sooty accumulating on the exterior of your furnace, it’s an indication something could be seriously wrong.
What You Should Do if a Furnace Heat Exchanger is Cracked
If you believe your furnace has a cracked heat exchanger, contact a pro well versed in furnace installation Delray Beach right away so they can take a look at your system and, if necessary, start a furnace heat exchanger replacement. Costs often fluctuate depending on the situation, but estimates often hover around $1,000 to $3,000.
Estimates aside, the good news is that heat exchangers are regularly covered by the warranty. You’ll want to check the warranty paperwork on your furnace, because while the warranty may not cover the entire cost of repairs, it still may significantly lower your bill.
How to Prevent a Cracked Heat Exchanger in Your Home
One of the most convenient ways to prevent a problem in your furnace overall is via routine furnace maintenance. Furnaces work the best when they work efficiently. Hiring a certified professional to inspect your furnace for worn-out parts, dirty filters and other potential problems can keep you from getting a big bill later on.
It’s also helpful to review your furnace filters every few months – it’s recommended some filters be changed every 90 days or sooner if they are dirty or grimy. While the filters aren't a part of the heat exchanger itself, the strain of dragging air through a clogged filter makes your entire furnace work more vigorously to accomplish its job. And the harder your furnace works, the more wear and tear components like the heat exchanger will endure.