Cracks in heat exchanger

[Amy L]

This is the second winter in my house so I figured I would have the furnace cleaned and tuned up. Boy was I wrong because this tune-up ended with the technician finding cracks in the heat exchanger. As you may know by law they are required to lock the unit out which he did. Of course all of this wonderful news occurs on a nice wintry day. What was even better is that I have an infant in the house. I seen the cracks on the camera and I understand that this is a safety issue as well as a liability issue for the technician. Although I have some doubts on the seriousness of the cracks as they did not look very bad. I have a CO2 detector above the furnace, on the first floor, and one in each of the bedrooms and they have never went off. However, as he explained a crack is a crack and nonetheless this forced me into a situation of an immediate replacement as I was not going to waste the money on replacing the heat exchanger on a 15 year old unit. Sorry for the rant ...

Now I am trying to sort through exactly what I bought - the unit that I had installed is a Xenon unit which appears to be manufactured by York (even confirmed by the tech that york builds these). Does anyone know anything about these units. Here is the relevant info on it.

It has two model numbers: Model #1: G1FA036S17G Model #2: XYF90080BU3-AB

Manufactured at 5005 York Drive Norman OK 73069.

90% efficient.

Amy

[Bob]

The time to research the unit is before you buy. Why worry about it now, you already bought the furnace. Read your owners manual. If you're having problems with it, call the technician back. It sounds like he knows what he's doing. Some people complain for years about headaches, etc. and have heaters checked many times and technicians never find an obvious crack. Your heater was most likely cracked, but I've also seen pictures of cracks left with the owner by technicians that were obviously not from that person's furnace. Large companies have $ incentives for techs to sell new equipment.

[Joseph Meehan]

Infant in house, you don't think the cracks are that bad. No. Any question of CO is bad. I was personally involved in a near disaster situation with CO many years ago. I would not be happy with that situation even with the detector. That stuff is really nasty and sneaky.

Assuming it was recommended and installed by a good tech, you should have nothing to worry about. The problems usually develop because of poor choice and or poor installation. A good tech takes care of both of those.

[Bubba]

Its cracked? Time for a second opinion and estimate. Now get a third estimate. Now make your decision. Opps, too late. You fell for the "Oh your furnace is cracked, you're going to die, but I have a shiney new one for you we can install today." Bubba

[trader4]

"This is the second winter in my house so I figured I would have the furnace cleaned and tuned up. Boy was I wrong because this tune-up ended with the technician finding cracks in the heat exchanger.

What was even better is that I have an infant in the house. I seen the cracks on the camera and I understand that this is a safety issue as well as a liability issue for the technician."

Apparently you don't understand that it's a serious safety issue, or you wouldn't be saying "Boy was I wrong...." I'd be saying thank God I caught it in time.

[m Ransley]

You have it in so hopefully he was honest and a good tech. your questions he should answer. I know a tech who told me his boss put scratches on an exchanger to look like cracks to sell a furnace. You are a bit it to late for that , you should have gotten several bids. Co detectors wont alarm till co is very high, low levels can only be monitored by having a digital read out detector with memory and ocasionaly checking them. Low levels can make you sick but not alarm.

[Bubba]

I missed where the OP said there was CO? He said a crack, not CO. A crack does not mean a furnace is putting out CO. Incomplete combustion causes CO.......... Just making sure we are clear. Bubba :-)

[Joseph Meehan]

Very true, but if it is creating CO then the crack allows it to get into the home when, if everything is working, it would go out the chimney.

[cornytheclown]

You could contact the manufacturer for any information you need.

[WM]

Amy, smile, for you were screwed by a dishonest hvac person. Don't worry, you are in good company. Nearly 90% of them are crooks and they screw their customers all the time.

Read the law he was referring to. It says 'dangerous'. What you have is not dangerous. It is not even close to dangerous. Do you realize that millions of homes are heated by gas heaters that are not vented? All of that is being put directly in the home. Not the tiny amount that you have.

[Joseph Meehan]

WM wrote: ...

I would say that you have your percentages backwards.

Yea, and following your advice would kill a lot of people. A non-vented gas heater needs to have certain safety device to be sold today. The OP's furnace does not have those devices.

You are giving out advice that could get someone killed. I suggest you do some study before you give out like advice.

[NickySantoro]

How do they actually lock a unit?