When the nights turn chilly in Charlottesville, VA, you rely on your furnace to keep you warm. Many homeowners don’t realize that the heat exchanger plays a vital role in your furnace’s ability to provide the warmth and comfort you need. Here are three reasons why you should have your furnace heat exchanger checked every year.
To Ensure Your Family’s Safety
The heat exchanger sits between the combustion chamber (where your furnace burns gas, propane, or some other type of fuel) and the blower (the component that distributes heated air into your home). The combustion process creates harmful gases, including carbon monoxide (CO), a potentially deadly gas. If your furnace heat exchanger becomes cracked, these gases can leak into your home. An annual check of your heat exchanger increases your family’s safety by reducing the chances of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Because Problems Are Often Invisible
Without a furnace malfunction or your carbon monoxide detector sounding an alarm, it’s difficult to know whether your heat exchanger has developed holes or cracks. A visible inspection for soot buildup and discoloration will detect problems in some heat exchangers. Other heat exchangers require a special flexible camera that can reach otherwise inaccessible areas. Without the camera inspection, hidden problems could go undetected.
To Avoid Interruption in Comfort
If your heat exchanger is cracked, you cannot run your furnace, even in the coldest of weather. Why run the risk of going without heat while your heat exchanger is repaired or replaced? A preseason checkup will ensure your furnace is ready for winter’s cold temperatures.
Your heat exchanger is an essential part of your furnace. Although modern furnaces have safety features that help detect CO leaks and prevent problems, those safety features must work properly. The best way to ensure that is to have an annual furnace heat exchanger checkup.
To learn more about the importance of heating maintenance, check out the maintenance services we offer at Duct-Rite Mechanical LLC or call (540) 216-0545 to schedule a maintenance service appointment.
