Gas Furnace 101: The Heat Exchanger

Many people have furnaces in their homes, but not everyone knows exactly how their furnace works. By understanding the basics of your furnace, you can become better at recognizing potential issues early on, before they become major problems.

People sometimes wonder why gas fumes don’t get into the air from their furnaces. The answer is the heat exchanger.

Here is a short explanation of how a heat exchanger works. Malfunctions with heat exchangers need immediate repairs; for excellent heating repair in Columbus, OH, contact Quality Air Heating and Air Conditioning.

The job of the heat exchanger

Furnaces burn natural gas to create heat. Through conduction, the hot gas heats up the exchangers’ walls, making them red hot. A fan then blows air across and around the exchangers. The heat from the metal walls—not the direct heat from the combustion gases—transfers to the air. This warm air is then blown into your duct system. The combustion gas inside the heat exchangers exits through an exhaust flue, which vents the gas safely outdoors.

Heat exchangers can pose a danger if they develop corrosion. Because of the constant expansion from heating, an exchanger that corrosion has weakened can start to develop cracks. If this occurs, exhaust gas can escape into the cabinet instead of going out the flue. This can lead to the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. If you have a gas furnace in your home, you should also have CO detectors.

However, corrosion only occurs slowly due to the reaction of combustion gases and metal, and proper venting will keep it away. If you have your furnace maintained regularly, you will have few worries: a repair technician will catch aging heat exchangers and replace them with new ones, and also discover poor venting issues.

A well-maintained gas furnace will keep you and your family safe. Sign up for a maintenance plan from Quality Air Heating and Air Conditioning to keep your furnace in excellent condition (and receive other benefits as well). Our NATE-certified technicians can provide you with the heating repair in Columbus, OH that will keep your furnace working at its highest ability.