The technician who came to clean the furnace two weeks ago says it has a cracked firebox he used the term heat exchanger, which i thought was used exclusively for air heating systems he says the firebox should be replaced within weeks, or it could fail. The american gas association has even put this in writing they say any visible crack or hole is reason. Cracked firebox my oil forcedair furnace has developed a. How to fix a crack in a wood stove with furnace cement. To create this article, 11 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. If there are missing sections of the rope seal, or the door and opening of the furnace are not warped or cracked, replacing the rope seal should solve the problem.
That thin wall of sheet metal is the firebox, also known as the furnace heat exchanger. This is a stress area that is held together by a missing ring think rivet. Man, seems sbi has had a rough run with cracks lately. Cracks in your furnace s combustion chamber can be deadly. Furnace cement will seal the crack and get the stove back in working order.
The combustion chamber houses the burner, which produces toxic gases. The temperature of combustion can approach 4000of, which is above the melting point of steel and cast iron, the materials used to construct boilers and furnace heat exchangers. Sep 22, 2009 can a cracked firebox inside an oil fired furnace be repaired. Replacing the heat exchanger or furnace is the way it is done.
The problem with finding a crack in a furnace heat exchanger is that you can see very little of the heat exchanger without disassembling the furnace. Wiring from the 120 volt circuit board was dangling where the non existent filter should have been. In a masonry fireplace, firebrick is used to construct the firebox. I showed me what could be a crack hairline semicircle in one of the indented circles in the metal. Crack in oil furnace well last month while servicing a customers unit i had the hair burnt off my hand when the blower kicked on and advised the customer of a crack. Without sufficient airflow, the burners and heat exchangers have to heat up to higher temperatures to combat the limited air supply, which could cause damage. If that happens, he said, the furnace likely will stop running. Cracks in furnaces all about homes by john schnedier q. If your furnace filter is dirty and hasnt been changed, or the furnace cant bring air into the unit because of furniture blocking return vents, your heat exchangers could crack. Use the putty knife to spread fireclay across damaged areas, and work the material deep. I open up the plenum and show the crack from the top.
The mortar between the bricks is thinning, and some of the firebricks are spalling. Rating is available when the video has been rented. Well the fire box is cracked and emits smoke into the duct work. Furnace with a cracked heat exchanger and flame rollout youtube. The problem with finding a crack in a furnace heat exchanger is that you can see very little of.
The most common repair needed is firebox tuckpointing. The furnace ignites this gas with a spark, and the burners create a flame. Mar 12, 2006 i can tell you that the firebox in 5 bricks wide across the back and 3 12 bricks deep. A cracked heat exchanger in a gas furnace is a serious safety issue. Have you done all you can to protect yourself and your family.
Possible deadly cracks missed in furnace inspections fox31. This flame produces hot gasses that go into the heat exchangers. Ive even replaced cracked exterior brick remove the old, clean out the mortar around the brick, porridge new mortar and set your new brick in place and then tuck point the outside. The cause of cracked heat exchangers avoid this common scam. The fireplace in my house was rebuilt sometime in the late 1960s. This is one of the old ones that circulated the air around the outside of the box and then sent it via duct work to where ever you where needing the heat. Check for excessive heat coming from the combustion chamber. Heat exchangers are a series of metal tubes that heat up and stay extremely hot. As a homeowner, getting the news that your heat exchanger is cracked is a bit of a harsh blow. This video is about the your heat exchanger is cracked so your furnace must be replaced scam. Its a cracked furnace and makes it a very dangerous furnace, he said. Excessive heat or smoke coming from the combustion chamber can indicate a blockage in your furnace, which can occur in the chimney, flue pipe, nozzle. A good rule of thumb is that any repair job that would cost more than half the. Broken firebox sufficient reason to replace forced.
These two different words are nomenclature meaning the thin layer of metal that separates the good air that you breathe and the bad air comes from burning natural gas in a forced air heater or burning propane in a forced air heater. This is what causes your central heating and air conditioning firebox to crack and this is what you can do to save your central forced air heating system. How to replace the combustion chamber of an oil furnace wikihow. Cracked firebox repairs in a masonry fireplace, firebrick is used to make the firebox, while refractory brick panels line a firebox of a prefab metal fireplace. There are a variety of things that cause a furnace firebox to crack. The crack, im sure, is all the way through the brick and separates the brick in two horizontally. He certified the furnace to be in good working order. Often a repair thats too expensive compared to having a new furnace put in. A blockage in the furnace, lack of draft, warpedcracked gasket or furnace could need adjusting. Beware of an unethical technician who finds a crack with a camera on a furnace that seems to be running just fine. I have one brick that is cracked 3 ways from a hard impact and ill just leave it until a piece comes off and falls into the firebox.
The fire may have been built too large or not positioned correctly in the fireplace. The cast iron grates, fuel door, ash door, cast iron front and rear baffle are warranted from breakage for the life of the fire chief furnace so long as the furnace may be operated safely in accordance. Mar 11, 20 as a homeowner, getting the news that your heat exchanger is cracked is a bit of a harsh blow. This doesnt require replacing other parts of the furnace. Furnace crack heat exchanger, cracked firebox, furnace repair. The your heat exchanger is cracked so your furnace must be.
The american gas association has even put this in writing they say any visible crack or hole is reason for requiring replacement of the heat exchanger or furnace. Thay tell us that if the crack widens and box collapses, we will get soot circulated into the living space. This trips a safety switch and shuts down the furnace. I can tell you that the firebox in 5 bricks wide across the back and 3 12 bricks deep. Its not unlike a doctor telling you about the c word. Since the heat exchanges separates the combustion products from the livingspace air, that the soot would not be an. How to replace the combustion chamber of an oil furnace. Broken and leaking heat exchangers are responsible for about 1,500 deaths per year in the united states, and many more people are poisoned by exposure to toxic gasses that go unfiltered by defective heat exchangers.
When a furnace has a cracked heat exchanger, can it be. The tundraheatmax, which is a big box store version of the full size caddy furnace, turned out to be a real crack ho about two years after they came out 2012 iirc your pics look very similar to the ones i have seen on the tundras looks like a similar design firebox anyways, i bought a used tundra that had cracked just to. Dec 02, 2015 a cracked heat exchanger allows air from the furnace blower to interfere with the flame causing it to flutter or even roll out. Possible deadly cracks missed in furnace inspections. In order to prepare for the winter, i had my forced air furnace serviced by a repairman. Heating maintenance to prevent a cracked firebox furnace.
Can a cracked firebox inside an oil fired furnace be. A damaged heat exchanger in a gas furnace is potentially dangerous to a homes occupants and should not be ignored. Very similar to the process of tuckpointing, deteriorated mortar joints are removed, the area is cleaned and new refractory cement is applied. However, over time, the brick, mortar, or panels can crack and crumble, creating a serious fire hazard. Furnace problems and furnace recalls furnace service alerts.
The tundraheatmax, which is a big box store version of the full size caddy furnace, turned out to be a real crack ho about two years after they came out 2012 iirc your pics look very similar to the ones i have seen on the tundras looks like a similar design firebox anyways, i bought a used. Furnace problems and furnace recallsfurnace service alerts. Mar 24, 2014 the most common repair needed is firebox tuckpointing. A blockage in the furnace, lack of draft, warped cracked gasket or furnace could need adjusting. Home warranties and cracks in your furnaces heat exchanger. Cracks in your furnaces combustion chamber can be deadly. If you have a steel exchanger, then cut down a piece of sheet metal to cover the crack, plus 2 inches all the way around. Furnace furnace recall, heater recall, cracked firebox. You can do wonders with an angle grinder and a brick chisel. Refractory brick panels line the firebox of a prefabricated metal fireplace.
At a second home in aurora, prach discovered three cracks. The chamber sits next to a heat exchanger, which transfers heat but not gases. A furnace with a cracked heatexchanger is usually an exception, because of the cost of the repair. Furnace heatexchanger crack signs your furnace has one. Can a cracked firebox inside an oil fired furnace be repaired. How to determine if your furnace combustion chamber is cracked. Fire up a welder, and use the liquid metal to form a gluelike line around the edge of your sheet metal. Just a crack alone wont hurt anything imo, its still serving its purpose.
Like fossil said, get a sharp bit 18 or so, and drill the end of that crack, it will stop it from going any further. Both bricks and fireclay mortar are designed to withstand very high temperatures, but brick, mortar and panels can crack or even crumble over time. Air conditioner repair furnace fireboxes, forced air systems. Ive repaired my own firebox, clean out trap and decorative facebrick on a fireplace before. As air is taken into the furnace to be warmed, gas is turned on in the burners of the furnace. Victorian sales warrants the firebox to be free of defects in material and workmanship for five 5 years from date of purchase. Hvac combustion chamber kits from lynn manufacturing. He operned up a port and took a mirror to assess if there were any heat exchanger cracks as the plenum is narrow and i have a 110 input90 output btu unit for a house rated at 75 btu.
Which nozzle to use and how to clean firebox heating. A cracked heat exchanger allows air from the furnace blower to interfere with the flame causing it to flutter or even roll out. Do you have your heating system maintained at least once a year by a qualified professional. Furnace with a cracked heat exchanger and flame rollout. In both cases, the bricks and fireclay mortar are designed to withstand extreme temperatures. Same oil company since the early 1980s, first furnace lasted 33 years before it cracked in 2010. Some dont do as good a job as others in manufacturing their forced air heaters and some dont even bother to try to train the hvac installers in the best methods to install those furnaces. The combustion chamber of an oil fired furnace will eventually collapse and require. Looks like it is already spreading, crack goes out horizontal from cutout than turns downward 90 degrees.
The cracked firebox, more commonly known as a heat exchanger, is a sealed metal chamber containing gas. And only replace the heat exchanger if under warranty otherwise it is not feasible. Thay tell us that if the crack widens and box collapses, we wi read more. Dec 30, 2006 were very concerned about your ancient forcedair gas furnace. Over time, cracks can form, allowing toxic gases to escape. Thanks for watching guy browns youtube channel was. Wiring from the 120 volt circuit board was dangling where. You know its serious and you know you need to do something about it. The walls of the firebox are still in beautiful condition, but the floor seems to be deteriorating. Use the putty knife to spread fireclay across damaged areas, and work the material deep into the cracks using the flat blade of the putty knife to apply pressure. Were very concerned about your ancient forcedair gas furnace. Panels may become cracked or damaged due to excessive heat from an improper fire in the firebox area.
Dec 15, 2007 crack in oil furnace well last month while servicing a customers unit i had the hair burnt off my hand when the blower kicked on and advised the customer of a crack. This is very difficult to find unless a fluorescent hydroscan is performed. However, the repairman stated that there was a crack in the combustion chamber, and the furnace needed to be replaced. Make this a diy project and save yourself money on the cost of repairs or a new stove.
I have one brick that is cracked 3 ways from a hard impact and ill just leave it until a. I am replacing the kaowool wet blanket inside a beckett. Even though your furnace may look and seem fine, dangerous gases could leak into your home and seriously affect, even kill, your family members. Cracked firebox my oil forcedair furnace has developed a crack between a couple slots in the ceramic material the flame is contained in. Having this job inspected by the city the first time would have saving this family more than a thousand dollars. When moving a log in a burning fireplace with a metal stoker rod and the panel gets hit too hard, it may crack. The best way to repair a cracked heat exchanger is to remove it and put in a new one. Once you are ready to begin the repair itself, put on your safety glasses and gloves. Inspect the firebox with a flashlight to note all cracks, loose masonry and chinks in the mortar. Apr 17, 2019 wikihow is a wiki, similar to wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are cowritten by multiple authors. They started as only an oil company and now merged with an hvac company, but the service has always been the same.
Some people choose to live in denial of the seriousness of a cracked heat exchanger. Signs and symptoms of a cracked gas furnace heat exchanger. How to fix a crack in a wood stove with furnace cement home. Dec 07, 2009 cracked firebox my oil forcedair furnace has developed a crack between a couple slots in the ceramic material the flame is contained in.
Clean the inside of the firebox with damp rags, scrubbing the interior walls and flooring where the log grate normally sets. Firebox crack floor, how much, fireplace, stove house. Combustion chambers are capable of also acting as heat sinks or reservoirs of heat. I show how a furnace reacts when there is a crack in the heat exchanger. Air conditioner repair furnace fireboxes, forced air. To avoid problems with the heat exchanger, this is among the many reasons as to why you do not want to neglect professional maintenance. I wont replace a cracked brick unless its at risk of falling apart or has fallen apart.