
A furnace is almost always a background player at home, ensuring you're warm in the cold winter months. It regularly doesn’t get noticed until something goes wrong.
One root cause might be that your furnace has a cracked heat exchanger. It can potentially be hazardous, so it’s critical to familiarize yourself with the symptoms of a cracked heat exchanger and what you should do if you are worried that might be the problem.
What Is a Heat Exchanger in a Furnace?
A heat exchanger helps transition heat from the combustion chamber inside your furnace to the air that circulates throughout the system. It generally accomplishes this using coils or tubes that heat up the air while functioning as a barrier to keep byproducts created in the combustion chamber, called flue gasses, from leaking out into your home.
Is a Cracked Heat Exchanger Dangerous?
Thanks to its central role, it shouldn't come as a surprise that a broken heat exchanger can be hazardous. A damaged heat exchanger can enable dangerous gasses – including carbon monoxide, which can be lethal – to circulate across your home.
For that reason, do NOT run your heater if you believe it has a cracked heat exchanger, as doing so could make the entire household ill. Reach out to an HVAC professional as soon as possible if you think your heating has a cracked heat exchanger that should be repaired.
Four Signs of a Cracked Heat Exchanger:
- Furnace shuts off: A crack in your heat exchanger may cause your furnace to switch off.
- Odd Smells: If the air coming out of your furnace has a powerful chemical scent, it may be a sign gasses are seeping through cracks in your heat exchanger. These byproducts, which may smell like formaldehyde, are a major warning sign.