The heat of the combustion gas raises the temperature of the metal, and as the air from the blower passes around it, heat transfers to it. Lennox product warranty information lennox residential. An oversized furnace can also cause overheating and heat exchanger cracks. Heat exchanger assembly, 108k btu, stainless steel. Signs your furnace heat exchanger may be cracked romaniuk. According to the tech, the heat exchanger is under lifetime warranty and we would have to pay for the blower control board.
When he had access to the heat exchanger, he found 4 major cracks on the duracurve heat exchanger, that required immediate shut down and furnace replacement. The danger of cracked heat exchangers in gas furnaces. The cracked heat exchanger because the metal of the heat exchanger expands and then contracts as it heats and cools, the stress may eventually cause a crack to form on the exchanger. A heat exchanger must be visually inspected on a regular basis. Bobs answer to whether or not a cracked heat exchanger can be dangerous is unambiguous. Because it allows the exhaust fumes inside the exchanger to leak into the air. How do you guys diagnose cracked or bad heat exchangers. However, the heat exchanger has developed a crack that allows flue gas and carbon monoxide to leak into my home to leak into my home. Press this onto the furnace heat exchanger, and allow it. A damaged heat exchanger in a gas furnace is potentially dangerous to a homes occupants and should not be ignored. Heat exchanger cracks are a serious furnace repair issue. My lennox furnace is eighteen years old and is working well mechanically. If you have a hakko desoldering gun, you can unsolder and resolder those relays in 5 minutes. Metal equipment is relied upon for its durability but it lacks the ability to contract and expand with heat when its subjected to extreme cold and heat.
A damaged or cracked heat exchanger is the cause of the leading cause of carbon monoxide poisoning in north america. Its only going to get worse, not betterthe only question is when. A heat exchanger is a heating component inside furnaces that transfers heat to the surrounding air, which is then distributed throughout the home. Leaking and broken heat exchangers expose homeowners. Can you repair a cracked heat exchanger on a gas furnace. Hvac businesses in minnesota lock out furnaces when cracked heat exchangers are found. Visually check heat exchanger for cracks you will find most cracks form near the back and where the heat exchanger metal bends, since this is where it will be weakest due manufacturer weakening the metal by bending it. One of the most common reasons a gas furnace can be taken out of service, is when the repair technician finds to a cracked heat exchanger. If someone informs you that your heat exchanger is cracked, call the tedder company.
A warning about cracked heat exchangers in gas furnace. Should i replace my heat exchanger or buy a new furnace. Basically, the heat exchanger is where the furnace heats the air. I bought a house with an old lennox pulse furnace and am. When a heat exchanger becomes damaged and the combustion fumes and gases. I have an 11 year old lennox g26 series furnace and the heat exchanger has a small crack. A clogged air filter restricts airflow through the furnace, overheating the heat exchanger, and eventually resulting in stress cracks. The combustion analyzer also helps us gauge the overall performance of your furnace. The your heat exchanger is cracked so your furnace must be. A heat exchanger is made of thin metal, and as it heats up from the combustion of the furnace, it transfers the heat to the air being distributed through the house by the blower 3. Lennox duracurve aluminized steel heat exchanger lennox developed heat exchanger eliminates fatigue failure, ticking, resonance and cleanability problems.
Home warranties and cracks in your furnaces heat exchanger. If the heat exchanger is cracked, the meter will show us. The furnace lennox g26q34 was installed around 1996. We would have to pay for the labor which he said would take a day to do. Furnace heatexchanger crack signs your furnace has one. Signs and symptoms of a cracked gas furnace heat exchanger. The blower fan of the furnace then comes on and sends air around the exchanger, where it picks up the heat from the furnace wall, then continues into the ducts. The furnace does not have ac and the duct work could never support ac anyways. A furnace with a cracked heat exchanger will definitely produce carbon. Heat exchanger, pressure switch, induction fan, water leaks and more, except heat. Does it make sense to replace the heat exchanger or should the whole furnace be replaced. Heat safety is paramount so have your furnaces inspected immediately for a cracked heat exchanger.
Cracked heat exchanger furnace trouble shooting help. Visual observation of light or water passing through the breach is positive confirmation of a crack. Fire up a welder, and use the liquid metal to form a gluelike line around the edge of your sheet metal. Even though your furnace may look and seem fine, dangerous gases could. A cracked heat exchanger is the most common reason carbon monoxide or toxic gasses may escape into homes using a gas furnace. Carrier common furnace problems premature heat exchanger. The furnace heat exchanger is the one of the main components inside the gas furnace and its used to transfer the heat from the. Ive got a new born baby in the house and this junk of a furnace is always down.
Simple furnace heat exchanger test hvac learning solutions. In an attempt to sell new furnaces, numerous heating contractors will lie about cracked heat exchangers. If your repair technician just gave you the bad news that your furnace has a cracked heat exchanger, and you said, a cracked what. Refer to the lennox equipment limited warranty certificate included with the equipment for details.
I wrote a blog post many years ago discussing that topic, and the gist of my blog post was the same as whats stated on the comyths web site. Every time that your heat exchanger heats up, the metal is going to expand. If it cracks after the warranty is up, usually at least 20 years, consider replacing the entire furnace. We want to caution you about the most common cause for a gas furnace to become unsafe. There are only a certain number of guys who have been certified to work on pulses. Cracked heat exchanger on lennox furnace we had a technician come out today to diagnose a problem with our furnace and upon inspection he noticed that there was a crack in the heat exchanger and the blower control board needs replacing the original problem. Even though your furnace may look and seem fine, dangerous gases could leak into your home and seriously affect, even kill, your family members. During a regular prewinter service check, our servicing dealers technician asked permission to cut open the side to inspect the heat exchanger. So on the lennox duracurve heat exchanger its on the bottom curve in the back. We have talked a lot about furnace failures, repairs, and replacement in our blog and we want to go more in depth about furnace heat exchanger design, how they work, and why they fail.
Corrosion because of reaction between the combustion gas and the metal often because of improper venting can also weaken the metal to the point where cracks form. This article is about ways to determine if a gas furnace has a cracked heat exchanger. In this video you will discover where all the lennox curved heat exchangers fail and why. Danger of a furnace with a cracked heat exchanger servicemax. Yes, the pulses were all recalled a while ago and lennox was offering free furnaces to be installed in their place. Combustion pollutants, such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide, can cause eye and nose irritation, disorientation, sleepiness and nausea. Those issues have nothing to do with the heat exchanger, cracked or otherwise.
Dangerous cracked heat exchangers in furnaces carbon monoxide detectors and cracked heat exchangers. Heat exchanger can crack for various reasons and should be checked every time furnace is repaired or maintained. In this way, the combustion gas heats the air without the gas having ever to come in contact with it. Most cracks will be where there is a curve in the metal. Heres why your furnace heat exchanger cracked heating. Not only is furnace performance an issue, but heat exchanger malfunctions can pose serious health and fire risks.
I wanted to pull the board anyways to check the traces. The cause of cracked heat exchangers avoid this common scam. I have an 11 year old lennox g26 series furnace and the heat. Any verifiable crack requires replacement of the heat exchanger or furnace. This video is about the your heat exchanger is cracked so your furnace must be replaced. Cracked heat exchangers usually occur in old furnaces something else to consider. The long reaction of combustion gas and metal leads to corrosion that weakens the exchanger and allows cracks to form. A damaged heat exchanger in a gas furnace is not an issue that should be ignored. If you have a steel exchanger, then cut down a piece of sheet metal to cover the crack, plus 2 inches all the way around. Popped rings or cracked faceplates on a lot of models.
Most newer models are equipped with special safety features that keep risks down. The tubular ones will crack on the outlet near the inducer motor or on the curves themselves. Supplements the 20year limited warranty coverage on heat. Press this onto the furnace heat exchanger, and allow it to dry. If the furnace is generally in good condition and operates at a good efficiency but has suffered a cracked heat exchanger, one might consider a heat exchanger replacement when the cost of the total job is about half the cost of a new furnace and of course also if the furnace heat exchanger remains covered by the manufacturers warranty. Unless you are one of the top 3% of people who have all the money, replacing the furnace is going to hurt the pocket book if you have not planed for it, but it has to be done.
In the unique design of this heat exchanger the sides of the clam section. The most common cause of an overheated heat exchanger is as simple as a dirty air filter. This article is about ways to determine if a gas furnace has a cracked heatexchanger. When a furnace has a cracked heat exchanger, can it be. A cracked heat exchanger in a gas furnace is a serious safety issue. A well qualified hvac technician will look for a furnace cracked heat exchanger during a maintenance check.
Duralok plus heat exchanger, built for lennox highefficiency 90% condensing gas furnaces, thats made of high. If the heat exchanger is cracked, byproducts of the combustion process that takes place within the. We use it to check co levels given in parts per million, or ppm and determine for sure whether theres a crack in your heat exchanger. Heres why your furnace heat exchanger cracked in carbon monoxide testing, central heating and air conditioning, furnace repair.
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