For most homes, you can count on the furnace that keeps you comfortable during the winter months to last about 10-15 years before you are facing replacement. When you first have your furnace installed in your home, you can expect little to no problems with it. But just like everything else, as it gets older, the furnace starts to have parts that show signs of wear and are in need of replacement. An important part of your furnace that you need to make sure is in good condition is the heat exchanger. Air Supply Heating & Air Conditioning is here to talk about a cracked heat exchanger and what that means for your furnace.

What is a Heat Exchanger & How Does it Work?

The heat exchanger in your furnace is comprised of several metal chambers that are responsible for collecting the hot combustion gas that your furnace generates as it works to heat your home. This keeps the combustion gas from ever making contact with the air inside your home. The heat exchanger collects this combustion gas, and the blower fan blows air over the heat exchangers and then through the vents of your home. Once the heating process is complete and the heater turns off, the combustion byproducts are then vented out of your home through the flue so that it isn’t released into the air in your home.

Furnace Carbon Monoxide Leak

As your furnace gets older, there is a greater chance that a crack develops of the heat exchangers. As the exchanger heats up and then cools off constantly, the metal is contracting and expanding over and over again. Over time, this can take its toll. If a crack develops, it can create an unsafe environment in your home. It allows these combustion byproducts enter into the air inside your home. One of these gases is known as carbon monoxide. As carbon monoxide leaks into your home, it can be deadly.

Signs of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas that isn’t safe to breathe. It can escape a cracked heat exchanger and pose a health and safety risk in your home. This is why it is so important to have carbon monoxide detectors throughout the home. You need to be aware of the symptoms so that you can be proactive in getting help when there’s a problem. Some of the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include:
– Dull headache
– Nausea
– Weakness
– Dizziness
– Blurred vision
– Shortness of breath
– Loss of consciousness

Forced Air Furnace Heating Diagnosis, Repair, Replacement & More in Summerlin, North LV, Henderson, Centennial, Enterprise, Lone Mountain, Paradise, Sunrise Manor, Spring Valley, Aliante, Desert Shores, Eldorado, Mountain’s Edge, Peccole Ranch, Silverado Ranch, Tuscany Village, Whitney, Winchester & Las Vegas Nevada

A crack in your heat exchanger is something that can be caught easily in a routine maintenance appointment. That’s only one of the reasons proper maintenance on your furnace is so important. At Air Supply Heating & Air Conditioning, we can provide you with the furnace maintenance that you need to make sure your furnace is ready for the winter. Call us today!