Corrosion, cracks, and a change in the flame’s appearance are also telltale signs of a bad heat exchanger. It can also leak carbon monoxide, leading to health problems. If you suspect a bad exchanger, turn off your furnace immediately until you can repair or replace it. Essentially, when your furnace heat exchanger has a crack it has gone bad.
What are the warning signs of a cracked heat exchanger?
- Soot or residue buildup inside the furnace. This is a telltale sign that the furnace isn’t burning cleanly. ...
- Strong odors. Faulty heat exchangers can often cause strong, unpleasant odors caused by a buildup of formaldehyde. ...
- External signs of wear and tear. ...
How serious is a cracked heat exchanger?
When your furnace has a cracked heat exchanger, the chances are high that it will fail. Besides, it will expose your family to several health risks such as carbon monoxide poisoning. You can prevent that from happening by maintaining the furnace regularly. But if the heat exchanger develops cracks, you should replace it immediately.
Why does cracked heat exchangers need to be replaced?
Why Cracked Heat Exchangers Need To Be Replaced. It’s never acceptable to allow carbon monoxide into a household, which is why a cracked heat exchanger has the potential to spell big trouble for any furnace. In fact, it’s an industry standard to immediately replace any furnace that shows cracks or holes in its heat exchanger.
Is your heat exchanger really cracked?
To tell if your heat exchanger is cracked, you will need to look for the signs. If water collects at the base of your furnace, or there’s excesses soot or strong smells coming from your furnace, it’s most likely cracked. Also, if the fire is yellow or there’s any corrosion, you most likely have a cracked exchanger.
How much does it cost to fix a heat exchanger?
from $2,000 to $3,500Unfortunately, the cost of replacing a heat exchanger isn't the most affordable choice. The cost of replacing a heat exchanger ranges from $2,000 to $3,500. Replacing your furnace's heat exchanger would be a good route to take if your furnace is fairly new.
How do you fix a bad heat exchanger?
Unfortunately, heat exchangers cannot be repaired. When a heat exchanger cracks or rusts through it must be replaced. Because the heat exchanger is at the center of the furnace, nearly the whole furnace must be disassembled. Even if the parts are covered under warranty, the labor and freight will start around $500.
Can you run a furnace with a bad heat exchanger?
Rule #1: If your Heat Exchanger has been deemed cracked by a HVAC professional you should NOT be running it. Unfortunately, some owners will attempt to run their furnace even when a cracked heat exchanger has been detected.
What is the life expectancy of a heat exchanger?
The heat exchanger is responsible for heating the air that circulates through your home in the winter. Heat exchangers usually last about 15 years. If you invest in maintenance, yours might even last 20.
What causes a heat exchanger to fail?
Dirty air filters are one of the most common causes of heat exchanger failure. This is because a clogged filter will restrict airflow, causing the exchanger to overheat and suffer excess expansion and contraction stress.
What are the symptoms of a damaged heat exchanger?
Warning Signs of Cracked Heat ExchangersVisible Damage. You may be able to see cracks in the heat exchanger when you visually inspect the furnace. ... Soot. The presence of soot on the heat exchanger or on the furnace's interiors is a warning sign of incomplete combustion. ... Abnormal Flame. ... Noticeable Odors. ... Water on the Floor.
What does a cracked heat exchanger sound like?
If you have a crack in the heat exchanger, you are likely to hear a rattling noise as your thermostat turns on the heat. Because the heat exchanger is made out of metal, as it is heated cracks will expand/contract, and can cause rattling, popping, and/or banging noises.
How do I test a heat exchanger?
0:152:22Simple Furnace Heat Exchanger Test | Lennox Learning SolutionsYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd easiest ways to test them while it's true we can disassemble the heat exchanger take theMoreAnd easiest ways to test them while it's true we can disassemble the heat exchanger take the manifold. The burners out and do a visual inspection.
What happens if your furnace has a cracked heat exchanger?
When you're told that your heat exchanger is cracked, exhaust gases can leak into the air instead of entirely into the flue pipe. The most hazardous of these gases is Carbon Monoxide. For this reason it is a must for you to have a carbon monoxide detector in your home.
Can you replace just the heat exchanger in a furnace?
You can't repair or replace a heat exchanger because there's too big a risk of carbon monoxide leaking into your home. It's also cost-prohibitive. That's why you need to replace the entire furnace.
How long does it take to replace a furnace heat exchanger?
8 hoursIf so, here's the thing: replacing a heat exchanger isn't as simple or affordable as it sounds. In fact, replacing a furnace heat exchanger can take up to 8 hours and can cost anywhere from $2,000 to $3,500.
How much does a heat exchanger cost on a furnace?
The average costs for replacing your exchanger is about $1,500. However, it can cost as little as $500 or as much as $3,500. If the heat exchanger is cracked or malfunctioning before you would typically expect it, there may be another issue with your HVAC system.
What must be done with a defective heat exchanger of a furnace?
There are only two options if a Heat Exchanger is bad: The other factors are energy efficiency and cost of service which can make replacing the furnace a preferable option even if the furnace is under warranty and available. If a furnace is out of warranty the preferable option is to replace the furnace.
Can a heat exchanger be replaced?
You can't repair or replace a heat exchanger because there's too big a risk of carbon monoxide leaking into your home. It's also cost-prohibitive.
How do you test a heat exchanger?
0:152:22Simple Furnace Heat Exchanger Test | Lennox Learning SolutionsYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd easiest ways to test them while it's true we can disassemble the heat exchanger take theMoreAnd easiest ways to test them while it's true we can disassemble the heat exchanger take the manifold. The burners out and do a visual inspection.
Can a boiler heat exchanger be repaired?
Unfortunately, in many cases, by the time you have realised you have a buildup of limescale in your heat exchanger, the damage has already been done and there isn't much you can do to fix it, meaning you'll either have to replace the heat exchanger, which can be incredibly expensive, or replace the entire boiler unit ...
What is a heat exchanger?
A heat exchanger is one of the components in a gas furnace that heats air to warm your home during cold days. The system comprises a series of coils and tubes that consistently loops to heat air that flows through it.
How much does it cost to replace a heat exchanger?
To replace a new heat exchanger, you need around $600-$1,200 to buy and install the replacement. So, fixing a new heat exchanger in an old furnace will not be worth the price. Otherwise, the furnace can break down when the heat exchanger is still new.
What happens when you heat a home with gas?
Heating your home with natural gas, propane gas, or fuel oil can result in the leakage of harmful gases when the heat exchanger cracks. Fossil fuel gases like carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide can cause several health issues.
Why does my furnace have water on the floor?
Water Collects on the Floor around the Furnace. If your furnace doesn’t have any condensation issue and you find some water on the floor at its base, the chances are high that the heat exchanger is the issue. You’ll need to contact a professional HVAC contractor to determine the root cause of the problem.
What happens when a furnace ignites?
When ignited, the furnace will channel hot combustion gases into the heat exchanger chamber to heat the metal walls. Meanwhile, return air ducts in the system will suck the cold air in your home and pass it along the heat exchanger to warm up the air.
Why does my heating system smell so bad?
The System Produces a Strong Smell. If your heating system produces a strong and unpleasant smell, it could be that the heat exchanger has cracked. Notably, the fumes usually smell like formaldehyde and are highly toxic to your body when inhaled.
Why is my furnace blue?
A typical furnace flame should be blue. If your furnace produces a steady blue flame, it’s clear that the furnace’s heat exchanger is functioning efficiently, and there’s nothing to worry about. However, if the furnace produces a yellow flame, it can mean that your burner is dirty or your heat exchanger has cracked.
What happens if your heat exchanger goes off?
Carbon monoxide can be a symptom of a cracked heat exchanger that allows the gas to get into your air supply. If you have CO detectors and they go off, i t’s serious. Immediately open windows to let in fresh air, turn off your furnace, and leave your home. Once you’re safely outside, call for help. If you need medical attention, call 911.
How Do I Prevent My Heat Exchanger from Failing?
To keep your furnace running properly, it’s advised that you have regular checkups at least once a year. While you can’t prevent your heat exchanger from cracking due to the heating-cooling cycles that occur as part of the heating process, a checkup can detect the warning signs and take action before you have a problem.
What Is A Heat Exchanger In A Furnace?
The furnace heat exchanger is a thin metal piece between the combustion chamber and the blower. As the combustion chamber heats the exchanger, heat is transferred to the air being blown across the surface. This air is free of the flue gases and sent on through ducts to provide heat inside your home.
What Should I Do If I Think My Heat Exchanger Has Failed?
If you experience any of these warning signs or suspect your furnace has a cracked heat exchanger, you’ll want to contact a professional HVAC contractor to inspect the furnace. It’s not something you should tackle yourself and it’s not something you should put off. Continuing to operate the furnace with a cracked heat exchanger can put your health at risk. The best advice is to shut down the system and get a qualified technician to take a look.
Why is my furnace heat exchanger cracked?
Also, a cracked heat exchanger may itself be a symptom of another problem in your furnace, such as overheating. You might spend the money to replace the heat exchanger only to find out there’s a bigger problem that will also need to be repaired.
Why is there condensation on my furnace?
If you notice an excess of condensation on your heating system or water on the floor at the bottom of your gas furnace, you might have a clogged internal drain or a leak in your humidifier system connected to your furnace. A cracked heat exchanger might also be the culprit.
What causes a furnace to clog?
Dirt and dust can accumulate in your furnace and block filters, blowers, and coils. This buildup can lead to a clogged heat exchanger and prevent air from flowing efficiently through the system.
What happens if a heat exchanger is cracked?
If there's a crack in one of the cells of the heat exchanger, the gases being burned – carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrous oxide – could leak into your home, causing illness or, in extreme cases, death. Strange smells.
Why does my heat exchanger make a noise?
Because the heat exchanger is made out of metal, as it is heated cracks will expand/contract, and can cause rattling, popping, and/or banging noises. Presence of Carbon Monoxide. Carbon monoxide (CO) is an odorless, colorless, and tasteless flammable gas which is toxic. A failed heat exchanger may leak CO into your home.
What to do if furnace is failing?
If you think your furnace may be failing, or suspect the heat exchanger is damaged, call Your Plumber to schedule an inspection.
What does a malfunctioning heat exchanger smell like?
Strange smells. A malfunctioning heat exchanger will often create an unpleasant and strong odor that smells similar to formaldehyde.
Why does my furnace crack?
An over-sized furnace can also cause overheating and crack the heat exchanger. However, the most common reason that a heat exchanger will crack is just normal wear and tear. Heat exchangers, made of metal, go through continuous expansion (as it heats up) and contraction (as it cools). Over a span of time, this will simply cause ...
Why do furnaces need heat exchangers?
Furnaces rely on a heat exchanger to provide warm air throughout your home. It is an essential part of your heating system, and any issues with it will not only lead to a breakdown of your furnace but also pose serious risks to the health and safety of your home. Your furnace combusts gas in a sealed chamber in order to create heat.
Why do heat exchangers need to be air tight?
To work properly and prevent these unhealthy gases from escaping, the heat exchanger must have an air-tight seal to keep contamination away from your breathing air. If you think your furnace may be failing, or suspect the heat exchanger is damaged, call Your Plumber to schedule an inspection.
What to do if heat exchanger is bad?
There are only two options if a Heat Exchanger is bad: Replace the heat exchanger or replace the furnace. If the heat exchanger is under warranty, this option is a good way to go unless it is unavailable in the time frame needed, which can be immediate in cold weather. The other factors are energy efficiency and cost of service which can make ...
How to replace a heat exchanger?
There are only two options if a Heat Exchanger is bad: 1 Replace the heat exchanger or replace the furnace. If the heat exchanger is under warranty, this option is a good way to go unless it is unavailable in the time frame needed, which can be immediate in cold weather. 2 The other factors are energy efficiency and cost of service which can make replacing the furnace a preferable option even if the furnace is under warranty and available. If a furnace is out of warranty the preferable option is to replace the furnace.
Why do heat exchangers have to have a tight seal?
The heat exchanger must have an air (and gas) tight seal to separate the gasses in the flue products inside the heat exchanger from the breathing air passing over the outside surface. This is because the flue gasses can be poisonous – such as deadly carbon monoxide – and contamination of the breathing air by these gasses pose a health risk ...
Why is CO a symptom of bad combustion?
A furnace creating CO is a symptom of bad combustion in a furnace because unlike a car, CO is not a regular by-product of the furnace combustion process. Therefore, a heat exchanger can be breached and if the furnace is not producing carbon monoxide the breach will remain undetected. 6.
How long do heat exchangers last?
While heat exchangers are typically manufactured to last between 10 – 20 years, many factors can accelerate the process of heat exchanger failure. These factors usually fall under the categories of poor maintenance, poor initial system design and installation, or poor equipment design by the manufacturer.
What is the visual inspection of a heat exchanger?
A heat exchanger must be visually inspected on a regular basis. Visual observation of light or water passing through the breach is positive confirmation of a crack or hole in a heat exchanger.
Why is Vincent's willing to risk a free furnace?
The reason that Vincent’s is willing to put up such ‘high stakes’ is because of the confidence in their equipment and their procedure.
How to tell if heat exchanger is bad?
This is once again when you may want to bring in a furnace technician. That is because they can often diagnose heat exchanger problems simply by looking at the flame. If the flame is jumping when the blower fan engages, then there is a sign that your exchanger is bad.
What happens if a furnace heat exchanger goes bad?
When something goes wrong in your furnace heat exchanger, the first sign might be chemical smells. The smell might also cause you to have headaches or nausea. Harmful chemicals are in your home at this point, and it is important to seek immediate help.
Why is my heat exchanger cracking?
Cracks occur because the heat exchange is exposed to heat over a long period of time. This causes the walls of the heat exchanger to develop cracks. Typically you will find these cracks along the heat exchanger’s seams.
How does a heat exchanger work?
The heat exchanger in your furnace works to separate the combustion process from your breathing air. The exchanger is made of a metal chamber as well as a passageway. It begins at your burner assembly and then ends near where the chimney vent connects to the furnace .
What happens when you retire a furnace?
By the time it is time to retire it, the metal in your exchanger will have been heated up and expanded thousands of times! Alternatively, it will also have contracted when it cooled. This cycle is part of the normal furnace heating process.
What does it mean when your furnace goes bad?
If you see signs of decay, or just wear and tear on the exterior of your furnace, then it has most likely gone bad. It means that your furnace is getting too old to work properly. You may need to replace it.
What does it mean when you see soot on your furnace?
Soot is black in color and is the accumulation of burnt carbon. If this is found on the inside of your furnace, then you know you have a problem. This could also mean you have other problems such as your burners not being adjusted correctly. Both can lead to monoxide production.
What causes heat exchangers to fail?
Most heat exchanger failures involve stress cracks forming near bends, welds, and other thin, weak areas. Heat exchangers are also vulnerable to rust and corrosion. How these failures occur usually depends on the circumstances mentioned below.
What causes a heat exchanger to drop out of suspension?
Rust and Corrosion. Water vapor is one of the many byproducts of the combustion process. As the heat exchanger removes heat from passing com bustion gases, the cooling effect causes the vapor to drop out of suspension.
Why does my furnace smell like formaldehyde?
Excessive soot buildup — Incomplete combustion that a cracked heat exchanger causes can also encourage excessive soot buildup within the furnace. Strange furnace odors — A damaged heat exchanger can also produce strong odors that are sometimes similar to formaldehyde.
Why does a heat exchanger rust?
Secondary heat exchangers are especially prone to rust due to the amount of acidic condensate that forms during operation.
Why is my furnace blue?
Yellow or flickering flames — A steady blue flame represents your furnace working at its most efficient state. A cracked heat exchanger can cause the burner to operate inefficiently, resulting in a yellow flame or a constantly flickering flame.
How long does a heat exchanger last?
The average lifespan of a heat exchanger is usually the same as the furnace itself. You can expect a typical furnace to last for 15 to 20 years, depending on its overall usage and maintenance history. Limited Airflow.
What causes a furnace to overheat?
Without enough airflow to carry heat away, the heat exchanger overheats in excess of safe operating temperatures. Such overheating can cause premature metal fatigue and lead to stress cracks throughout the heat exchanger.
What Causes Heat Exchangers to Crack?
Heat exchangers sometimes crack as the result of years of regular use. If your furnace is more than 10 years old, the cracks may just be a sign of expected wear and tear.
What Should You Do About a Cracked Heat Exchanger?
If you suspect that your heat exchanger may be cracked, the first thing you should do is make sure you have working carbon monoxide detectors on each floor of your home. If a detector ever starts beeping, leave the house and call your HVAC company immediately. You should also seek immediate medical care if you have any symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Why does my heat exchanger smell?
However, when your heat exchanger cracks, the contaminated air can pass through the crack and into your home’s air supply, causing the chemical odors that you’ve been noticing.
Why does my furnace smell so bad?
You may assume that something near your furnace just got too warm or that someone in your home spilled a cleaning solution, but the problem is likely much more serious. Chemical odors coming from your furnace is likely a sign of a cracked heat exchanger — a serious furnace problem that could lead to carbon monoxide poisoning.
What is the heat exchanger in a furnace?
The heat exchanger is the part of your furnace that actually heats the air that is blown through your home. Gas burns in the burner, and the heat from the flame is passed into a metal coil known as the heat exchanger. As air flows past the outside of the heat exchanger, the air becomes warm.
Can carbon monoxide poisoning cause chest pain?
Carbon monoxide is an invisible, odorless gas. When you inhale it, you may experience chest pain, confusion, weakness, and vomiting. Many people suspect that they have the flu when really they have carbon monoxide poisoning. But unlike the flu, carbon monoxide poisoning can be deadly.
Can you replace a heat exchanger?
In most cases, if the heat exchanger is cracked, your HVAC company will recommend replacing the entire furnace. You can just have the heat exchanger replaced, but it is an expensive repair, and a new furnace is often the smarter investment.
