When Is Furnace Repair The Best Option For Homeowners

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By Melissa Wilson


The news that a heating system has been red tagged is not good. This means that a HVAC contractor or gas utility worker has found a heat exchanger crack. The law requires the system to be disabled unit it is fixed, in order to protect the occupants of the home from carbon monoxide poisoning. The question the homeowner must face is whether to choose furnace repair or replace the unit.

Heat exchangers crack for a variety of reasons. It is sometimes due to natural aging of metal. Other times; however, the problem is the unit has been operated without regular maintenance. When the heat chamber is dirty, heat can build up inside, increasing one's energy bill and leading to the exchanger cracking.

Diagnosing this problem can be challenging, but if the homes CO detector goes off with no other apparent cause, the heating unit should be examined. Providing regular maintenance can keep the unit working better and may prevent this problem form occurring prematurely. The HVAC contractor can clean parts that are not accessible to the owner.

As units age beyond the ten year mark, they move to the point that replacement is the best option. Older parts are often impossible to find and repairs more expensive than their value. The new unit will be more energy efficient an help to pay for itself in lower operating costs.

If the system is newer, making repairs may be an option. Even so, it is sometimes difficult to get the needed parts. Owners will want to have a dependable supplemental heat source to protect plumbing and keep occupants comfortable. Fortunately, many newer units are still under the manufacturer's warranty.

Furnace repair for red tagged units is best with newer systems. The best way to prevent this type of failure is to provide annual maintenance of the system. This ensures longest life of the investment a homeowner makes in a heating unit.




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