A gas furnace makes an effective and reliable means of heating your home during our cold winters. They’re long-lasting and do their jobs without much fuss. But every system suffers from wear and tear, and when it comes to heating systems, you need to keep an eye out for any problems that develop. In particular, watch for signs of a cracked heat exchanger: a serious problem in need of addressing immediately.
Why the Concern?
The heat exchanger sits between the burners and the air they’re intended to heat. In and of themselves, the burners can’t distribute heat into the air very effectively. The exchanger — which is essentially just a piece of shaped metal — distributes the heat much more effectively, as well as shunting toxic gasses (a byproduct of the process) safely into the venting pipe nad out of your home.
The good news is that heat exchangers are very durable, with no moving parts in most cases and a construction designed to last for years of regular use. But all that heating up and cooling down puts a lot of strain on it, and as the heating system gets older, that can result in fissures or cracks. A crack is a problem firstly because it severely restricts the heater’s ability to do its job: wasting huge amounts of energy in the process. Even worse, it can easily vent toxic gas into your home, presenting a direct threat to your family. Modern systems have safety features which will shut the system off when the presence of gas is detected, but older systems — the kind most vulnerable to a cracked heat exchanger — may lack such features. In any case, the issue will need to be dealt with before the furnace is safe to operate, which in most cases means replacing the heat exchanger outright.
For quality heating repair services throughout the Seaford, DE area, call Atlantic Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, Inc. today!