DIYbanter - View Single Post - bulges and "hot spots" inside 20 year old furnace...do I really need new one?

HeyBub

wrote:
I'm sure they love the idea of selling me a new furnace even if it
isn't really necessary at this time.

Wondering if other metal inside the furnace were to crack and it
weren't the heat exchanger cracking per se....would that require
furnace replacement?
J

The notion of a cracked heat exchanger being a hazard involves the leaking
of CO into the living space.

Be aware that, for thousands of years, humans heated their dwellings without
benefit of heat exchangers; some still do today.

I grew up in a home with natural gas heaters in every room. The only problem
it ever caused me is the inability to tie my shoes. In all fairness, lately
I have noticed a difficulty in using complicated mechanical devices (such as
a spoon).

Nevertheless, a CO detector (or a canary) is far, far cheaper than a new
furnace.