Adequate furnace maintenance is crucial for the homeowner’s safety. In case of a broken furnace, do not attempt DIY repairs. This could be a risky move that triggers fires. However, this is not the only hazard resulting from a broken furnace. If you are replacing your air conditioner you might as well replace your furnace at the same time. Below are a few of the dangers that could result from a broken furnace and what you need to do about it.
1. Risk of Carbon monoxide Poisoning due to Cracked Heat Exchanger
A leaking furnace is considered a silent death trap because of the leaking carbon monoxide. Usually, carbon monoxide and other harmful gases leak when there is a crack in the heat exchanger. Consequently, these gases find a way out of the restricted chambers, causing serious dangers to the house’s residents.
Since carbon monoxide gas is odorless, it is not easy to detect lest you have installed carbon monoxide detectors around the house. Unfortunately, for people without these detectors, the damage may be done when they are discovered. It helps install carbon monoxide detectors around the house if your heating unit is a furnace. This is the only way to improve safety standards.
2. Deadly Furnace Fire due to a Cracked Heat Exchanger
Besides allowing poisonous gas to seep through the cracked heat exchanger, the slightest crack also allows combustible air to fill escape through this integral part of the furnace. An accumulation of these gases can trigger a deadly furnace fire that jeopardizes the lives of everyone in the house. Besides putting your life at risk, furnace fires are also costly to recover from.
Rather than risk such instances, it helps to invest in adequate maintenance. Once a professional declares the cracked heat exchanger unsafe for use, please stay away from it until replaced with a new one. Also, pay attention to signs that could indicate a potential heat exchanger crack. This could be something as simple as a change in flame color, strange smells, soot build-up, audible sounds, and carbon monoxide detection. Once you realize these signs, please avoid using the furnace until a professional HVAC technician comes to assess the situation and make their recommendations.
3. Risk of Allergen Spread
The furnace heats your home by circulating warm air around the house through ductwork. This means that it can spread contaminated air that is loaded with allergens. A leaking furnace can potentially compromise the air quality of your indoor spaces because everything passes through and is dispersed to all rooms. The resultant effects can be serious. Some of the short-term or immediate effects include headaches, fatigue, dizziness, and irritation of the nose, throat, and eyes. People may struggle with asthma, hypersensitivity pneumonia, and other respiratory disorders for long-term effects. If this goes on for long, it could trigger even more serious conditions like heart complications and cancer. Always have the HVAC technician come around regularly for furnace maintenance to avoid problems.
A cracked or broken furnace is not something homeowners ought to take lightly. It has serious consequences, most of which are life-threatening. If you are not sure how to detect such leaks and breakages, hire an HVAC technician to assist. The best move should be to invest in regular maintenance as these issues are best arrested during such routine checks. What’s more, cracked/ broken furnaces need total replacement as repairs may trigger even more serious complications.
