What are the symptoms of a bad heat exchanger?
Six Signs Your Furnace Heat Exchanger May be Cracked
- Strange smells. A malfunctioning heat exchanger will often create an unpleasant and strong odor that smells similar to formaldehyde.
- Soot Build-up.
- Corrosion & Cracks.
- Change in the flame appearance.
- Audible Sounds.
- Presence of Carbon Monoxide.
Is it worth replacing a heat exchanger in a furnace?
Replacing your furnace’s heat exchanger would be a good route to take if your furnace is fairly new. However, it is not worth spending your money on replacing your heat exchanger when it is near the end of its life span, which is ten years or more.
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.
How much does it cost to replace heat exchanger on furnace?
While replacing a furnace heat exchanger can be a significant expense, it’s an essential investment in your safety. What is the cost to replace HVAC heat exchanger? It can range between $1,000-$4,000 for parts and labor, with an average cost of $2,000.
How do you tell if your furnace is venting properly?
How Do I Know If My Furnace Isn’t Venting Properly? Gas furnace fumes are moist, so if you notice “sweat” on your windows, this is a sign that your furnace isn’t venting correctly. When your furnace comes on in the morning, if it is venting into your house rather than outdoors, moisture will condense on the cold glass.
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.
How do you tell if your furnace has a cracked heat exchanger?
Your furnace might stop working if you’re lucky, but most often, it will keep running even with a crack, allowing carbon monoxide to seep into your house. The only signs that you have a damaged heat exchanger is either no heat during the winter, reoccurring flu-like symptoms, or a beeping carbon monoxide detector.
How do I know if my furnace vent is clogged?
Here are 4 different ways to tell if your furnace’s exhaust vent is blocked:
- Furnace doesn’t heat the air. By far, the most common symptom of a blocked exhaust vent is a furnace that doesn’t heat up.
- Furnace heats up for a little while, then shuts off.
- Furnace cover panel gets hot.
- Bad smells when your furnace is heating.
Is my furnace going to explode?
You will be able to smell the fuel – One of the easiest signs to look out for potential furnace explosions is being able to smell the gas and fuel coming from your furnace. This could mean your furnace is experiencing some sort of leak, which is extremely dangerous and can be flammable.
What are the dangers of a cracked heat exchanger?
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. But what is most worrisome is the carbon monoxide that may be leaking into your air. Carbon monoxide is an invisible, odorless gas.
What does a cracked heat exchanger flame look like?
Normally, your gas furnace has a steady blue flame. If your burner has a moving yellow flame, it could be dirty or have a cracked heat exchanger. Flames that flicker, lean, dance around or change when the fan comes on, are possible signs of a cracked heat exchanger.