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When your furnace has a cracked heat exchanger, you may be feeling overwhelmed. Why was your unit red-tagged in the first place, and what are your options? To relieve some of your stress, here’s a closer look at what the implications of a cracked heat exchanger are, and what you can do about it.
Understanding why your furnace was red tagged If your heating system was recently red tagged (taken out of commission) due to a cracked heat exchanger, you may be seeing red yourself because now you’re left without the use of your furnace. But if you’ve been thinking about running your system despite the cracked heat exchanger, you should carefully consider the consequences, as doing so can put your household in grave danger. A crack in your furnace’s heat exchanger is capable of allowing carbon monoxide to leak into your home, resulting in serious illness or death.
Evaluating your options for a cracked exchanger When your unit is red tagged, you only have two options: to repair or replace your furnace. Hiring an HVAC professional to repair your system may seem like the easiest and most economical choice, but you should carefully weigh your options.
Repairs – Repairs are only practical under three specific conditions. First, your furnace should be younger than 10 years old. Secondly, the parts required for the fix-it job should all be completely covered by your manufacturer’s warranty. Lastly, the cost to repair your system should never exceed 25 percent of what it would cost to replace the furnace altogether.
Replacement – Regardless of if you’re a good candidate for repairs, it’s smart to consider replacing your furnace if your system is more than a couple of years old. Recent changes to efficiency standards and the evolution of energy-smart technology have yielded heating systems that are far superior to those only manufactured several years ago.
For expert advice on upgrading your heating system or for questions about a cracked heat exchanger, contact the pros at Pipe Works Services We’re proud to serve New Jersey homeowners. Our goal is to help educate our customers in Chatham, NJ, and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
