News / Annual Furnace Inspections Are a Must!

If you have been waiting - now is the time of year to have your home’s furnace professionally checked for safety and efficiency.  If you wait until your system has a problem or the first cold weather to arrive, you’ll have to compete for service with everyone else who waited until the last minute. Then, it may cost more, and you’ll have to wait longer for service.

There has always been some controversy about cracks in heat exchangers.  For those who need background on this topic, the heat exchanger is a major part of the combustion area of a furnace.  It is also an expensive component to replace, and can create the need to have a new heating system installed.

When fuel is burned in a furnace, the exhaust gas must goes outside the house through a vent pipe and the desired heat (minus the vented gas) must be moved (usually by ducts) from the furnace to the part of the house that needs to be heated.  The gas to be vented outside and the desired warmth for the inside of the home must be kept apart. However, heat exchangers can develop cracks or holes due to age, rust, deterioration, flaws in the metal, etc. Since toxic carbon monoxide gas is present (in varying amounts) during fuel combustion, this topic can literally be one of life or death.

There are two schools of thought from HVAC contractors, Southwest Gas, inspectors and others on the topic:

a- If there is any kind of crack or hole in it, the heat exchanger must be replaced immediately. Their reasoning: anytime there is a crack, the combustion gas (and carbon monoxide) will (or has the potential to before the next inspection) enter the living areas. To this group, the potential injury or death is not worth any delay. They may even “Red Tag” your heating system so it cannot be turned on until it is fixed.

b- If there is carbon monoxide detected in the system (the exact way it is measured can vary per the company’s procedure and their interpretation of the code), the heat exchanger must be replaced. They focus on being able to measure carbon monoxide at a specific point or level rather than focusing on the underlying (or potential) underlying cause. This group seems to be concerned about potential “overzealous” replacement of the heat exchangers, and that the expense involved might be an unnecessary one.

Consider Asking For A Second Opinion

We happen to be strongly on the side of group a, the cautious group.  Our first goal above everything else is to stay alive and healthy.  Most will take action to minimize/prevent this risk. We also recommend the use of a carbon monoxide alarm in your home as additional backup protection.  For those who have a different opinion, there are some steps you can take to help you make a sound decision. For example, if you get the sense that a recommended replacement of your heat exchanger is only or primarily for the financial gain of the installer or you are concerned about the cost, you should call another trusted A/C service company like One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating for a second opinion. We use video cameras to verify that cracks do or do not exist!

Our second opinions are free of charge!

If you have a split gas system like many homes here in the Phoenix area, your furnace may outlive the AC equipment by several years. However, if you have to replace the furnace due to a cracked heat exchanger, you may want to replace the whole Heating/AC System so that your systems match and allow you to receive the full economic benefits from an efficiency and utility savings standpoint.

Call us today at 602-33-1HOUR (602-331-4687) to schedule your Annual Inspection or ask for a free estimate to replace your system and take advantage of the Federal Tax Credits before they end on Decmber 31st...