A furnace is almost always a background player at home, ensuring you're warm during the cold winter months. It regularly doesn’t get noticed until something goes wrong.
One root cause may be that your furnace has a cracked heat exchanger. It can be a safety risk, so it’s worthwhile to know the evidence of a cracked heat exchanger and what to do if you are worried that may be the problem.
What Is a Heat Exchanger in a Furnace?
A heat exchanger helps move heat from the combustion chamber inside your furnace to the air that flows inside the air ducts. It generally accomplishes this using coils or tubes that heat up the air while acting as a barrier to keep the gasses produced in the combustion chamber, called flue gasses, from escaping out into your home.
Is a Cracked Heat Exchanger Dangerous?
Because of its key role, it’s no surprise that a broken heat exchanger can be very dangerous. Cracks in the heat exchanger can allow dangerous gasses – such as carbon monoxide, which can be lethal – to flow throughout your home.
For this reason, never turn on your furnace if you suspect there's a crack in the heat exchanger, as letting it run could make the whole family sick. Call an HVAC professional right away if you think your heating has a cracked heat exchanger that needs repair.
Four Warning Signs of a Cracked Heat Exchanger:
- Furnace switches off: A crack in your heat exchanger could cause your furnace to switch off.
- Strange Smells: If the air leaving your furnace has a strong chemical odor, it might be a sign gas is slipping through cracks in your heat exchanger. These gasses, which can smell like formaldehyde, are a significant warning sign.
- Carbon monoxide alarm goes off or you feel health problems: If a cracked heat exchanger is releasing carbon monoxide in your home, your carbon monoxide alarm could go off or household members may struggle with signs of carbon monoxide poisoning. Complications include headaches, dizziness, weakness, nausea, vomiting or feeling drowsy. If your alarm goes off or you feel sick, get out of the home right away and then call for help.
- Soot: If you see black sooty collecting on the exterior of your furnace, it’s another sign something might be seriously wrong.
What to Do if the Furnace Heat Exchanger is Cracked
If you believe your furnace has a cracked heat exchanger, call a professional experienced in furnace installation right away so they can examine your system and, if required, start a furnace heat exchanger replacement. Costs will vary depending on the situation, but estimates run in the neighborhood of $1,000 to $3,000.
However, the good news is that heat exchangers are often included in the warranty. You’ll want to review the warranty paperwork on your furnace, because while the warranty may not cover the entire cost of repairs, it could significantly lower your bill.
How to Avoid 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 offer the most benefits when they run efficiently. Calling a skilled professional to inspect your furnace for broken-down parts, clogs in the air filters and other potential problems can keep you from getting a big bill later on.
It’s also beneficial to take a look at your furnace filters every few months – it’s recommended some filters be replaced every 90 days or sooner if they are dirty or grimy. While the filters aren't connected to the heat exchanger itself, the strain of dragging air through a clogged filter makes your entire furnace work harder to do its job. And the harder your furnace works, the more strain parts like the heat exchanger will sustain.
