During the long Connecticut winters, you rely on your home heating system to keep your space cozy and comfortable. Furnaces have many important parts that permit them to circulate warm air through your property, but the heat exchanger is among the most important. The guide below details more about this mechanical component and what happens if it cracks.

Understanding Cracked Heat Exchangers

How Heat Exchangers Work

Your furnace’s heat exchanger consists of a series of tubes and coils that are responsible for heating the air. Fuel combusts within the chamber, causing the coils and tubes to become hot. Once this happens, the fan blows warm air out of your vents and into your home. 

What Causes the Cracks

When your furnace’s heat exchanger warms up, the metal expands, and once the unit cools down, it contracts. Over several winters of use, the heat exchanger will gradually become worn out and deteriorated, which may cause it to crack.

Cracks are extremely dangerous because they may cause heating oil to leak into your home, resulting in potential fire hazards. Additionally, cracked heat exchangers allow carbon monoxide into your indoor air, which is poisonous and could lead to serious injury or death. 

How to Handle Problems

In the event that your furnace’s heat exchanger cracks, get in touch with a professional HVAC contractor as soon as possible. They will replace the heat exchanger, which will save you money on a whole new furnace. However, if your furnace is old or outdated, you might need to replace the entire unit. These professionals will tell you the most cost-effective course of action to take. 

Keep your home warm and safe throughout the cold months with furnace maintenance from Tomax Heating & Cooling. For over 30 years, they have provided heating and A/C repairs and installations to clients throughout Orange, CT. Call (203) 752-8430 to get a quote on a new heating system and visit them online to learn more about their heating solutions.