November 2, October 12, What we offer. Quick Links. Contact Us. Find us on the map! Close Font Resize. Keyboard navigation. Readable Font. Underline links. Highlight Links. Clear cookies. Images Greyscale. Invert Colors. Remove Animations. When your gas furnace is working properly, it produces a blue flame. Within the sealed chamber, it should also burn steadily without flickering.
When it burning erratically, or the color has changed to yellow, it can be a signal that oxygen is getting into the chamber through a damaged heat exchanger. When a heat exchanger cracks, it can get discolored from soot build-up. The cracks break the seal from the combustion chamber and let soot come through to the other side. You may notice dark spots where the crack occurs. You may also notice soot building up within the furnace, which indicates the burner is not functioning properly.
It may be from faulty burners or a cracked heat exchanger. Carbon monoxide can be a by-product of the combustion process. If it builds up inside your home, it can be deadly. Carbon monoxide can be a symptom of a cracked heat exchanger that allows the gas to get into your air supply.
Immediately open windows to let in fresh air, turn off your furnace, and leave your home. If you need medical attention, call While carbon monoxide is odorless, other gases can be smelled. If your heating system emits a strong unpleasant smell, it could be a sign your heat exchanger is bad. Some liken the smell to formaldehyde. It can also be toxic.
If you smell it, call a qualified technician. If you notice an excess of condensation on your heating system or water on the floor at the bottom of your gas furnace , you might have a clogged internal drain or a leak in your humidifier system connected to your furnace. A cracked heat exchanger might also be the culprit. Dirt and dust can accumulate in your furnace and block filters, blowers, and coils. This buildup can lead to a clogged heat exchanger and prevent air from flowing efficiently through the system.
The furnace will have to work harder to produce warm air to heat your home. You may notice poor performance and a significant increase in your utility bill. Continuing to operate the furnace with a cracked heat exchanger can put your health at risk.
The best advice is to shut down the system and get a qualified technician to take a look. A cracked heat exchanger is not repairable. It will need to be replaced. Replacing your heat exchanger may not be worth it if your furnace is older. Also, a cracked heat exchanger may itself be a symptom of another problem in your furnace, such as overheating. One simple way you extend the life of your heat exchanger and furnace is to make sure you replace air filters before they get dirty.
A clogged air filter can limit the airflow through the furnace. Cracks in a heat exchanger can be revealed by an HVAC technician using a number of methods. Visual inspection with strong lights may reveal larger cracks. Smoke infused into the combustion chamber under pressure may pinpoint smaller leaks, as well as detectors that sample furnace airflow for the presence of CO gas. Contact Sobieski Services for more information about the hazards of a cracked heat exchanger.
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