Nobody wants to admit it, but if a heat exchanger cracks, it’s time to replace the furnace. Cracks in a heat exchanger can be dangerous to your home and family, so getting to the bottom of the issue immediately should become a priority.
Heat exchangers are designed to provide safe operation of the furnace during its life expectancy of 12-15 years. However, there are many factors that can accelerate the wear and tear on a heat exchanger that they fail much sooner, sometimes in spectacular fashion. When a crack occurs, air begins to seep through and cause moisture buildup eventually rusting over.
So what causes them to fail? Here are a few reasons why heat exchangers crack:
Your Furnace Is Not Sized Properly
If your furnace is oversized, it will turn on and off frequently, causing your heat exchanger to expand and contract too often. If your furnace is undersized for your home, it will result in airflow problems, which leads to overheating. This in turn will cause your heat exchanger to crack much quicker than it would if your furnace was sized correctly for your home.
Poor Installation
Unfortunately, there are times when an installer does a poor quality job. This can be because they have not had proper training, or they simply are not paying attention. Sadly, the quality of the install can make or break the lifetime of your furnace. Be sure the installers that you pay are qualified to handle the job. Find out what customers are saying about our team!
Lack Of Proper Maintenance
If you have a newer furnace, it is imperative that the homeowner schedule a spring and fall checkup to maintain peak efficiency. If your furnace is 12-15 years or older, schedule an estimate to explore more efficient home heating options.
Faulty Equipment
The brand quality of your furnace can determine how long it will run, and how much maintenance will be needed. Read about why Logan Services proudly chooses Trane and Mitsubishi as our top manufacturers.
Age Of The Furnace
At some point, even if you have great equipment, quality installation, and have properly maintained your unit, age will get the best of your heating system. Especially if your system is 15+ years old, it’s very likely that a recently discovered crack in the heat exchanger could be an unavoidable result of normal wear and tear to a furnace.
No matter the reason, a crack in your heat exchanger is not a situation to be taken lightly. For the safety and comfort of your home, now is a great time to explore new HVAC technology, with high-efficiency options available to help keep you comfortable at home and help you save on your utility usage.
Need to replace your furnace, but have not planned for it financially? Schedule an in-home consultation and hear about our budget-friendly payment plan options.
Let us know if our team can help with furnace repair, replacement, and routine maintenance.
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