If your furnace is getting up there in age, you’re at risk of a furnace heat exchanger failure
What is the heat exchanger?
The heat exchanger is a critical part of the furnace that must be kept in good working order to avoid costly maintenance and emergency furnace breakdown. Any defect with the exchanger can lead to a major defect requiring repair or replacement. That’s why it’s essential that you have the device checked and cleaned by a professional furnace repair technician.
The heat exchanger plays an important role in generating warm air. Understanding the common reasons of heat exchange failure is important if you want to avoid emergency breakdowns. Here are some of the essential tips to prevent irreversible damage to the heat exchanger. And this is important as the total cost of replacing the exchanger can be as much as $1,200.
How to avoid a premature breakdown of the heat exchanger
The heat exchanger should be properly inspected at regular intervals. The major fault that develops with the heat exchanger is the development of a crack or hole inside. The constant cooling and heating result in a crack to develop inside the exchanger.
With proper maintenance and service, the heat exchangers can last for a long period of time. A professional technician can identify problems and perform the necessary furnace repair works that ensures that major fault does not develop with the heat exchanger.
The main thing that results in cracks to develop inside the heat exchanger is reduced airflow due to dirty filters. The filters need to be kept clean of dirt, dust, and other debris. Clogged filters reduce the air flow that result in development of cracks inside the system.
Other reasons for reduced air flow are the dirty fan blades, dirty duct work, and obstructed air vents. All of these factors can cause major damage to the heat exchanger. Also, the air obstructions can make the system strain in generating the heat that may result in overheating problem.
That being said, most modern furnaces have protection system that turns down the heater when the temperature becomes unusually high. However, this cannot prevent serious damage to the internal components thereby requiring costly repairs.
Schedule an annual furnace tune-up with Reimer
Annual furnace maintenance is the best way to avoid premature furnace heat exchanger failure. During the routine inspection, a qualified technician will ensure that the system is working properly without any kind of air obstructions. In case an aberration is found within the system, the technician will perform the repairs right away.
The cost of the annual furnace maintenance is generally not that much. This is especially the case when you consider that you will be saving a lot in the long run due to lower repair costs, reduced heating bills, and less frequent furnace replacement.
Furnace heat exchanger failure? Call the experts at Reimer!
Apart from that, the peace of mind due to not having to go through unplanned, emergency repairs of the furnace makes annual furnace maintenance more than worth it in the end. If you want help of qualified furnace repair technicians in Western New York, you should contact Reimer Home Services.