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Furnace
Heat Exchanger Safety
What is
a heat exchanger?
The heat exchanger is the metal wall or tubing that is heated up
when the burners are ignited. The inside of the heat exchanger
allows the toxic flue gases produced from the burners to exhaust
out through the furnace flue. The outside of the heat exchanger
is where the cold air passes over, becomes warmed, and is blown
throughout the ductwork of the home. The heat exchanger is the
only wall separating the toxic flue gases from the supply air.
If a crack develops in the heat exchanger, there is a potential
for carbon monoxide gas to leak over to the supply side and be
blown throughout your rooms. Carbon monoxide gas is odorless.
The human senses will not detect its presence. However, there
are signs. Light-headedness, nausea, and flue-like symptoms are
all signs of CO gas leaking into your home. On an extreme case,
if the crack in your furnace is bad enough and the conditions
are right, you and your family may enter into a permanent sleep.
Longevity
Gas forced air furnaces last approximately 15 years, some more,
some less, depending on how well maintained the unit is. Some
conditions that may shorten the life of your furnace are: the
evaporator unit of the air conditioner leaking onto the heat
exchanger causing it to rust out, dirt/dust building up on the
high-limit control switch forcing your furnace to turn on and
off more frequently, a dirty filter that drastically reduces air
flow which also will force your furnace to kick on and off more,
or dirt on the burners producing inefficient flames causing
excess soot buildup on the heat exchanger. If a furnace is
poorly maintained, it is not uncommon to find a crack in the
heat exchanger much sooner than 15 years.
Having your
furnace annually serviced is one way to help extend its life.
It is strongly
recommended that a heat exchanger inspection test should be
performed yearly. Why? Just as a piece of metal is
bent over and over again eventually fatigues and breaks, a
similar force is being exerted on your furnace's heat exchanger.
During operation, the thin metal of the heat exchanger is being
heated to high temperatures (sometimes over 175 degrees
Fahrenheit) and cooled down to room temperature (70 degrees F).
Each time, the metal expands as it warms up and contracts as it
cools. Eventually, the metal fails and a crack is formed. A
crack will always develop in a heat exchanger. How soon depends
on the conditions it has been subjected to over its lifetime.
Using an infrared video inspection camera.,
All Home Comfort service technicians are able to tell homeowners
without a doubt whether their heat exchangers are damaged. Up
until now, technicians relied on mirrors and flashlights to try
and see inside the cells of a heat exchanger. This method was
crude at best, and didn't afford the homeowner a chance to see
the actual condition of the heat exchanger. During the
inspection, the technician and the homeowner can view the clear,
high-resolution images of the inside of your furnace on a
portable video monitor and see the actual condition of the heat
exchanger. (It's like your doctor taking an X-Ray). Armed with
this information, the technician can make an accurate diagnosis
of your furnace's condition.
Manufacturers' research shows that well-tuned equipment
lasts longer with far-fewer breakdowns. If you want to keep
your heating and cooling system for a long time, have it
inspected by a All Home Comfort
Certified Heating and Air Conditioning Technician. The
heat exchanger inspection is just one of
17 individual comprehensive tests, checks and operations to get
your system working at maximum efficiency and safety, even in
severe weather. I Guarantee your System will run better, save
you money with no breakdowns or your money will be 100% Refunded*
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