One of the key components of your furnace and its ability to heat your home is the heat exchanger. If you have a newer furnace, you are more than likely not going to have problems with your heat exchanger. However, if your furnace is getting towards the end of its useful life, you may run into problems more frequently. If the problem you’re experiencing is a cracked heat exchanger, it is important that you get it fixed as soon as possible as it poses a significant safety risk to anyone in the home. Ambient Heating & Air Conditioning is here to talk about the seriousness of a cracked heat exchanger.

What is a Heat Exchanger & How Does it Work?

The heat exchanger is responsible for heating the air before it is blown out your vents. The heat exchanger is a small metal chamber and could have many of them inside your furnace. These chambers collect the combustible gas as it ignites so that the gas doesn’t make its way into the air in your home. Once the combustible gas is captured, the blower fan blows air over the top of the chambers and then blows it out of the vents. The combustible byproducts are then vented out the flue into the great outdoors.

What Causes a Cracked Heat Exchanger?

As your furnace gets older, it is more prone to problems. When it comes to the heat exchanger, one of the most common problems is cracking. It usually happens because the metal that the heat exchanger is made of is constantly expanding and contracting as it heats and cools. Over time, this can weaken the metal and cause it to eventually crack.

Danger of a Cracked Heat Exchanger

The heat exchanger is responsible for holding all the combustible byproducts that are found when your furnace is on. If there are cracks in the exchanger, these byproducts end up in the air you are breathing. The biggest danger is carbon dioxide. This colorless, odorless gas can be deadly if you are breathing it in, unknowingly. It is important that you have working carbon monoxide detectors throughout your home that will let you know if there is any carbon monoxide leaking out your furnace and into your house. You need to be aware of what the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning is so that you can take action anytime you feel that this might be the case. Some of the symptoms include:
– Dizziness
– Weakness
– Nausea or vomiting
– Shortness of breath
– Blurred vision
– Loss of consciousness

Furnace Heating Maintenance, Repairs, Replacement, Emergency Repairs & More in Springfield, Granby, Holyoke, South Hadley, Monson, Chicopee & Agawam, Massachusetts

It is vital that you are maintaining your furnace properly so that you know when something isn’t right and needs to be repaired. During a routine maintenance appointment, you can count on the pros at Ambient Heating & Air Conditioning to thoroughly inspect your furnace as we look for any potential problems that need to be addressed before you turn your heat on for the season. Call us today!