The heat exchanger on your furnace can cause dangerous conditions to occur if it is damaged. Your furnace may appear operational even if the heat exchanger is broken.Routine servicing by an HVAC professional can reduce the chances of you operating your furnace with a broken heat exchanger, but damages can occur between service appointments. This is why it is important to know the five main signs of a broken heat exchanger.
Sulphur Smells
The smell of sulphur in your home is a sign that there may be an issue with your heat exchanger. Some people compare the smell of sulphur to rotten eggs. This peculiar odor produced when a gas leak is present is caused by an additive in the natural gas. It aids in improving the chances of people being able to smell a gas leak.
Carbon Monoxide Detector Indicators
Carbon monoxide detectors that frequently go off may need to get serviced, replaced or have their batteries changed. If you install new batteries, ensure that they are high-grade batteries. Cheaper batteries may not be strong enough for your carbon monoxide detector, and it may continue to beep as a safety measure due to battery replacement issues.
If your detector continues to beep after a correct battery installation, it could be a sign that there is a carbon monoxide leak present. Carbon monoxide leaks are sometimes the result of broken heat exchangers on furnaces. Refer any continuous carbon monoxide detector issues to your local fire department or an HVAC contractor.
Soot Markings
A furnace requires proper combustion to operate. If you notice black soot markings, this is indicative of a combustion issue. The soot build-up may be found on the furnace or in close vicinity to it. One common culprit for this issue is sediment build-up, which may occur as a result of a broken heat exchanger. If you continue to operate your furnace under these conditions, you could damage components of your furnace. It can also lead to issues with carbon monoxide.
Flame Issues
If the flame in your furnace is burning a yellowish or orange color, it may be due to problems with dirt or other sediment in the fuel source. The flame in your furnace should burn blue, which is indicative of clean fuel. If the flame moves in an erratic fashion rather than burning in a consistent manner, this is also a sign that there could be issues with the heat exchanger.
Rust Present
If you notice rust on your furnace, it needs to be serviced to determine whether or not it needs to be repaired or replaced. Rust is the result of metal, water and oxygen mixing. This is a dangerous combination for a furnace since rust causes metal to deteriorate. The deterioration can result in heat exchangers cracking. Contact a local heater service, like William W Fabian & Son Inc, for more help.
Share29 September 2015
I know it can be difficult to make yourself think about getting your furnace running when the skies are sunny and the temperatures are hovering around 90, but it is the best time for you to think about your heating system. Getting ahead of the winter preparation game will help to save on the cost of the repairs because the need for furnace maintenance is usually at a low during the fall season. This blog will show you what you can do to prepare your furnace for winter and when you should hire a professional HVAC technician to take care of it for you.