furnace inspection: Are Furnace Inspections Really Needed Every Year?
- 10/09/12 07:49 PM
In a recent blog post about fall maintenance for Minnesota homeowners, I mentioned having your furnace inspected / tuned up by a qualified heating contractor annually. One reader sent me an email asking if this was really necessary - here's his original question: I have a question about furnace tune-ups. You say get one every year - is that really necessary? What do the HVAC guys actually do to the furnace to "tune" it up? There's no spark plugs to replace like a car tune-up, and my understanding is they basically vacuum out dust and inspect it. Couldn't the homeowner do this (50 comments)
furnace inspection: How Serious Is A Cracked Heat Exchanger?
- 03/01/10 10:23 PM
It's an industry standard: if a furnace has a cracked heat exchanger, it gets replaced. 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." When I inspect a furnace and I find a cracked heat exchanger (and I find a lot of them), I always say to replace it. So what's the big deal with cracks or holes? The concern is that a cracked heat exchanger could allow exhaust gas from the furnace to contaminate the household air with carbon monoxide. In order (13 comments)