The heat exchanger is a critical component of your furnace because it carries heat from the combustion chamber to the exterior unit, which warms your indoor spaces through the ductwork. Scheduling regular appointments with furnace repair services can ensure that it is always in good shape.
If some elements of your furnace go bad, it cannot function optimally. Here are three indicators that the heat exchanger might be faulty.
1. You Detect Carbon Monoxide
The combustion process in your furnace produces carbon monoxides as one of its by-products. This odorless and colorless gas poses a health hazard because it isn't safe to breathe. Installing a gas detector allows you to know when the furnace leaks this dangerous gas into your household.
A crack in the heat exchanger is a plausible reason for carbon monoxide leaking into your home. You should evacuate the house and contact furnace repair services immediately. The furnace repair technician will inspect the heat exchange to determine why the gas is leaking and figure out the best solution for the problem.
2. Your Furnace Produces a Burning Smell When You Turn It On
If you detect a burning smell the first time you switch on the furnace, it could be nothing, but to be sure, contact your furnace contractor. Sometimes, when the furnace hasn't been actively heating for some time, the dust particles that settled on its components burn off. However, the burning smell shouldn't linger for long.
If it does, this could indicate a clogged heat exchanger that prevents the furnace flue gas from quickly exiting. The gas build-up in your heat exchanger then pushes the flame back into the area where only secondary combustion air should be. Your furnace contractor will conduct an extensive inspection to locate the cracks and find suitable ways to fix them.
3. Your Notice the Rollout Switch Tripping
Every time your rollout switch trips, it's a sign of a serious underlying issue. Resetting it without consulting furnace repair services leaves the primary issue unaddressed.
In most cases, rollout switches trip when the furnace flame burns in the wrong place because of a cracked heat exchanger. A crack allows positive air pressure from the blower.
If the hole is big enough, it will create positive air pressure in your heat exchanger, which will force the furnace to flame out. Contact a furnace repair technician to do tune-ups for you. Furnace contractors carefully examine the furnace to determine the best course of action.
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