All You Need To Know About Heat Exchangers
One of the most critical components of your commercial furnace is its heat exchanger. It’s important for building managers and their maintenance staff to understand how their furnace’s heat exchanger should operate, so they know when it is malfunctioning. A heat exchanger failure requires the attention of a skilled professional, so be sure you have a commercial HVAC technician you trust to provide the emergency repair services you need should your equipment malfunction.
What Is a Furnace Heat Exchanger?
A furnace’s heat exchanger is responsible for separating your breathing air from the combustion process. Without this piece of equipment, you could become exposed to carbon monoxide poisoning, which can lead to serious illness or death. The heat exchanger typically begins at the burner assembly and connects to where the chimney vent connects to the furnace. In conjunction with a metal chamber, this passageway allows heated air to travel safely throughout your property to keep it comfortable.
How Does a Heat Exchanger Work?
A heat exchanger keeps the combustion process separate from your breathing air using the following process:
- The furnace is turned on, and hot combustion gases enter the combustion chamber to be heated.
- Return air ducts then absorb the cold air within your building, blowing it along the outside of the heat exchanger to be warmed before getting sent back through your building.
- The gases created during combustion are then removed from the heat exchanger through a vent outside your building.
What Happens if a Heat Exchanger Breaks?
Over time, your heat exchanger may fail. Several common problems occur with heat exchangers, but “metal fatigue” is the most popular one. This happens when the furnace is used frequently, causing the metal walls to expand and contract. As a result of this repeated expansion and contraction, the heat exchanger will inevitably reach its breaking point. Property managers should be prepared to replace their heat exchangers at least once during the life span of their furnace.
When a heat exchanger breaks, the usual solution is to have a knowledgeable HVAC technician replace the furnace entirely. This is because heat exchangers are designed to last between 10 to 20 years, the average life expectancy of most commercial heating systems.
It’s important to fix or replace a broken heat exchanger the moment you suspect a problem may exist. As we mentioned before, these systems are imperative for preventing carbon monoxide poisoning, so it’s best to have a professional resolve the problem sooner rather than later.
AFGO Mechanical for Commercial Furnace Repair & Replacement in NYC!
AFGO Mechanical is proud to offer the emergency commercial heating repair and replacement services that NYC property managers need to keep their buildings comfortable all year long. Our team of top-quality technicians has years of experience resolving even the most complex heat exchangers, making us uniquely capable of handling all of your commercial heating requests.
Call our team at (718) 478-5555 to schedule furnace repair or replacement in Manhattan today!
At AFGO, we don’t believe in one-size-fits-all HVAC systems…
we succeed by providing our customers with alternative HVAC solutions.
