Can You Repair A Heat Exchanger

Why You Can't Repair or Replace a Heat Exchanger

You can't repair or replace a heat exchanger because there's also big a take chances of carbon monoxide leaking into your abode. It's also toll-prohibitive. That's why you need to replace the entire furnace.

Nobody likes to hear that they demand a new furnace, specially when the news seems to come out of nowhere.

Just, that's what happens if your HVAC tech determines you have a cracked heat exchanger.

At that point, we await plenty of questions. After all, yous're near to go without heat until you invest in a new arrangement.

The biggest 1 we hear, of grade, is, "Why tin't you lot simply repair or replace it?"

And, that'south where we'll outset with this article. Then, we'll move onto some other common questions — including a few you should ask earlier agreeing to anything.

Meanwhile, if you accept any concerns or need a 2nd opinion, don't hesitate to telephone call united states here at Broadley's. We've served Marmora, Ocean Metropolis, Avalon, and other towns in Southward Jersey for nigh a century.

You don't stick around that long without earning a reputation as trustworthy and reliable.

Now, let's commencement with the basics.

What is a Heat Exchanger?

The short answer is that the oestrus exchanger is the component in your furnace that generates the heat you experience in your firm.

The longer, more technical answer gets into how it transfers thermal free energy from one source to some other so the system can circulate the heat.

That's all to say: It'south a disquisitional part of your HVAC system.

And, a disquisitional part of the process is combustion: burning a resource like gas or oil. Combustion produces carbon monoxide, which should escape through the arrangement'southward exhaust without always leaking into your home.

That's where a problem can ascend.

Cracked Estrus Exchangers Are a Safety Issue

If your estrus exchanger has a crack, so carbon monoxide can leak out of the system and into your abode. Once that'southward happening, y'all run the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning equally the colorless, odorless gas builds up.

And think — if your heater's on, you lot've closed your windows. There'southward no manner the gas escapes.

This threat is why we all take carbon monoxide detectors at home now. You lot can't detect it on your own. And, too much exposure is lethal.

As a result, we take a cracked component very seriously. And "nosotros" isn't just Broadley's.

It's an industry-wide practice to red-tag a furnace with this trouble. That means we shut it off, and information technology can't be turned back on until we resolve the event.

And, unfortunately, in this case, that means getting a new unit.

Why You Can't Repair a Cracked Heat Exchanger

The problem is that we can never be certain a repair will concur. If information technology doesn't, you'll terminate upward with another carbon monoxide leak.

And, it could exist worse than the commencement ane.

Repairing this isn't similar replacing a fan belt or a modest component. Commonly, the crusade is backlog stress on the exchanger from fluctuating temperatures.

If y'all've noticed cold air coming out of your vents sometimes, it means something'southward wrong with the system. Information technology likewise means yous're stressing the material on the inner component.

Enough stress, and it cracks.

At that betoken, sealing information technology may not piece of work because the unabridged piece is compromised. And, if the set doesn't hold, the fissure could stop upwardly even more significant than before.

And, when time is of the essence with a carbon monoxide leak, you lot'll accept even less lead time earlier there'south an especially dangerous corporeality of the gas in your house.

Why You Can't Replace a Cracked Heat Exchanger

The side by side logical question subsequently hearing almost the repairs is, "Why don't you lot just replace it?"

Technically, we can. Only, information technology can withal be risky. And, most times, it's more than expensive than a full-system replacement.

The role itself can run anywhere from $600 to $i,200 or more. Then, it'south a matter of removing the damaged component and installing the new i.

Here's the problem: The exchanger is located deep inside the system. There's no easy mode to get to it. Nosotros have to take apart the unabridged system — advisedly! — to remove information technology.

Then, one time the new i'due south in, information technology'due south fifty-fifty more than time to put it all back together again.

Factor in those labor costs, and you're almost e'er improve off with a new system. That's especially so if your furnace has a few years on information technology already.

Meanwhile, once more, it'south risky. If something goes wrong again, there's a health hazard. That'due south why we red-tag.

What to Ask When You Have a Croaky Oestrus Exchanger

Not every contractor is every bit honest every bit u.s.. Some unscrupulous techs have advantage of people not knowing much about this problem to separate them from a lot of money.

We mentioned earlier that the office in question is on the inside of the unit. So, we tin can't even prove y'all the damage when we find it.

Instead, we're relying on carbon monoxide levels and other readings to diagnose the problem at first. Fifty-fifty if we can shine a light inside to spot a crack, it's difficult to see and explain.

And, it's like shooting fish in a barrel for scammers to exploit this situation.

Fortunately, there's a good style to cease them in their tracks.

Ask them if they will show you lot the damaged part once they take autonomously the unit. And, if it turns out there'southward no crack, will they put the old furnace back together and reinstall it at no charge?

At that point, a direct-upwardly scammer will usually back off. Information technology's non worth it without a clean getaway.

Of course, this isn't a magic bullet solution. You should notwithstanding exercise some research and make sure the company has an excellent reputation.

And, become a second opinion. Don't get pressured into making a snap determination.

If you lot got the bad news that you demand a new furnace, brand certain yous call a company like Broadley's for a separate inspection. And, feel free to ask united states whatever other questions you may have.

We're more interested in making certain y'all're comfortable and prophylactic all winter long — without paying thousands of dollars more than than you lot should.

Source: https://broadleys.net/cracked-heat-exchanger-avalon-nj/

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