If you’re one of the many Americans who rely on a furnace to heat your home, it’s likely that you’re going to deal with an issue or two over its lifespan. In some cases, the problem may be something simple like a broken fan belt. However, in others, it may be large issues like a cracked heat exchanger.
What Is a Heat Exchanger?
If you have a furnace that burns heating oil, propane, or even natural gas, then it has a heat exchanger. This is a hidden component inside your furnace that’s responsible for transporting harmful exhaust fumes to your chimney to be dispersed to the outdoors. The heat exchanger is a series of metal tubes that run from the combustion chamber to the exhaust vent.
As hot fumes move from the combustion chamber into the heat exchanger, the heat warms up the metal tubing. The blower fan for your furnace will pull in air from your home and push it over the outside of the heat exchanger. The hot metal tubes will transfer their heat to the air, which then gets dispersed inside your home.
Single vs. Dual Heat Exchanger
Furnaces can be designed to have a single or dual heat exchanger system. Most standard-efficiency furnaces with an operating efficiency of 70 to 80% will have a single heat exchanger. High-efficiency furnaces will typically have a dual heat exchanger setup. High-efficiency furnaces have an efficiency of 90% or higher.
Top Signs of Heat Exchanger Problems
One of the first signs that may indicate a problem with your heat exchanger is that you get a whiff of formaldehyde when your furnace is running. When your furnace runs with a faulty heat exchanger, white soot can build up on and around the burner inside your furnace. As your furnace heats up, it can produce a rattling noise as the broken heat exchanger components get warmer. Furthermore, if your carbon monoxide detector goes off, it’s a key indicator that your furnace’s heat exchanger is faulty and you need a heating repair expert to replace it.
The Dangers of a Damaged Heat Exchanger
It’s important to remember that toxic flue gases regularly travel through the heat exchanger. If the heat exchanger has any holes, cracking, or other deterioration, it will allow fresh air to mix with the flue gases. This can affect the combustion process inside your furnace and lead to incomplete combustion.
This will increase the amount of carbon monoxide present in the air. Plus, the corrosion will allow toxic flue gases to escape into the air that travels through your ducting. These fumes and carbon monoxide can lead to numerous health issues if inhaled in moderate or high concentrations. Therefore, a damaged heat exchanger can be a very dangerous thing to have in your home. This is why having a carbon monoxide detector is an absolute necessity so you can be alerted of a potential problem if it does occur.
How Long Does a Heat Exchanger Last?
In general, most heat exchangers will last between 15 to 20 years with proper upkeep and care. This is also assuming the furnace is operating under normal conditions. Most furnaces have a lifespan of between 15 and 20 years. Given this information, it’s fairly common for most heat exchangers to last the entire lifespan of a furnace.
Should You Replace a Bad Heat Exchanger?
If your HVAC technician has determined that your furnace has a bad heat exchanger, you may be wondering if you should pay to replace it or not. The answer to this question typically depends on the age of the furnace. Heat exchangers are a costly component to replace and require a good bit of labor to do so.
If you have a furnace that’s over 15 years old, it typically doesn’t make sense to purchase a new heat exchanger as your furnace isn’t likely to last much longer. However, if your furnace is less than 10 years old, it makes sense to put in a new heat exchanger as your furnace still has a long lifespan to go. In many cases of a younger furnace, you may find that the faulty heat exchanger is covered under your system’s warranty program.
Professional Furnace Repair Service
At Your Service Heating & Cooling LLC offers professional furnace repair service for the whole Baltimore, MD community. We can assist with all your other heating services plus air conditioning, duct cleaning, duct sealing, indoor air quality, backup generator, and commercial needs. Call our staff today to schedule your next service consultation.
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