Is your HVAC system ready for changing seasons ahead or at you at risk due to a cracked heat exchanger? There should be a regularly scheduled maintenance plan in place that prepares your commercial building for the change in weather outside. However, if it’s discovered that you have a cracked heat exchanger, what does this mean with regards to your health and the health of those around you?
What Does A Heat Exchanger Do?
The idea of a heat exchanger is to transfer (or exchange) heat from one medium to another to provide warm air for your furnaces. The benefit of industrial heat exchangers is it can conduct the process without the mediums having to have direct contact with each other. During this process, there are many mediums that are circulating around the chambers contained in the heat exchangers and within HVAC systems. This can subject the heat exchanger to extreme temperatures, causing them to expand and contract within the HVAC system and making them vulnerable to cracking. Due to this, having a cracked heat exchanger can be dangerous in a commercial environment.
What Are The Dangers Of A Cracked Heat Exchanger?
Cracked heat exchangers in industrial ductwork can be discovered if there has been a lack of maintenance or the product has aged over time, causing rust and corrosion. Although the cracks on the heat exchanger may appear minuscule at first, heat exchangers can expand as mediums pass through it, absorbing heat and causing the cracks to expand.
If the cracks expand, there is a large chance that carbon monoxide gasses can release from the cracks and expose the environment of harmful gases. Considering carbon monoxide is colourless and odourless, it’s important to consider replacing the cracked heat exchanger to prevent this from occurring. If there is exposure, it can cause headaches and nausea for those who are in regular contact with the area. A sure sign that there is a potential crack in the heat exchanger is regular noise coming from the ductwork that you can’t account for.
What To Do If A Cracked Heat Exchanger Is Discovered
If a crack is discovered with your heat exchanger, whether it’s discovered through standard maintenance checks or hearing sounds from it, an HVAC technician should be contacted immediately.
Here at Airmatic, we provide regular maintenance for the bespoke ductwork that’s created, which means you can be assured that checks are taken out with your ductwork and your working environment is safe for your employees and customers.