Tips To Prevent Your Heat Exchange From Cracking
Posted on: 28 August 2023
The furnace heat exchanger allows the furnace burners to heat your indoor air without contaminating it with foul gases. This function suffers if the heat exchanger cracks. Thus, a cracked heat exchanger is a serious issue you should never allow. Below are practical tips to prevent the heat exchanger from cracking.
Install the Right Furnace
The furnace combustion process produces several byproducts, including water vapor. If the heat exchanger remains hot enough, the water does not condense but flows out of the house alongside the flue gases.
The situation is different for an oversized furnace that heats the house to the desired temperature after running for a few minutes. In such a case, the furnace remains relatively cold, and the water vapor condenses. The condensed moisture can corrode the heat exchanger and corroded metal easily cracks.
Therefore, proper furnace sizing is one way to prevent the heat exchanger from cracking. The house's size, layout, number of rooms, ceiling height, and local weather determine the furnace capacity to install. A professional contractor will get the calculation right and install the right furnace.
Avoid Water Spills on the Furnace
As mentioned above, water can corrode and crack the heat exchanger. Corrosion can happen irrespective of the water sources. Therefore, you should install your furnace away from water sources that might spill on it. Maintain your plumbing system, especially on the floor above the furnace area, to prevent accidental leaks that might affect the furnace.
Replace the Air Filter Regularly
The heat exchanger is metal, which expands when heated and contracts when cool. The harder the heat exchanger works, the more it expands and contracts. The thermal processes weaken the heat exchanger metal and increase its risk of cracking.
For example, a dirty air filter restricts airflow to the furnace. Restricted airflow overworks the furnace and increases the risk of heat exchanger cracking. Therefore, you can prevent the damage by replacing the air filter regularly. The level of dirt in your house, furnace size, type of air filter, and furnace use determine how often you should replace the filter.
Keep Vents and Registers Open
The vents and registers facilitate air circulation by supplying heated air to the house and cool air to the furnace. Efficient air circulation keeps the furnace running within safe temperatures. The furnace starves of air and overheats if something blocks the vents or registers, such as furniture or debris. Always ensure the vents and registers are clean and open to protect the heat exchanger.
For more info about heating contractors, contact a local company.
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