Chicago, IL Furnace Repair Tips | Cracked Heat Exchanger Repair

So… let me know if this scenario sounds familiar. One day, your furnace is working fine, the next day it doesn’t. So you pick up the phone and call out a Chicago, IL furnace repair company. The tech fiddles with the unit and tells you that all is lost. He says that your problem is a cracked heat exchanger. He then proceeds to tell you that if you don’t repair the cracked heat exchanger, he will have to shut of your gas to the furnace and put a tag on it. Which basically holds you hostage to having him fix it.

Wow, that escalated quickly.

Now what? Well if anybody told me I had a cracked heat exchanger, I would demand to see the crack. Believe it or not, there are plenty of unscrupulous Furnace Repair companies in Chicago, IL that may not be playing fair. They know that most homeowners are unaware of the inner workings of their heating and cooling systems. If you are one of these homeowners, you pretty much believe what the “professional” says. Unfortunately, many of these “pros” are also salesmen looking to pad their bottom line. So, if  a Chicago, IL furnace repair company has told you that you have a cracked heat exchanger, do the following:

• Ask to see the crack in the heat exchanger
• If you have a cracked heat exchanger, ask if it is under warranty
• Call another Chicago, IL furnace Repair Company for a second opinion (Don’t tell them about the heat exchanger, let them find it for themselves.)

Once you have confirmed the crack, your options are pretty limited. If your cracked heat exchanger is under warranty, you will have to pay for the the labor to perform the repair. This is not cheap. If it is not under warranty, you are on the hook for the part and the labor. It is at this point that you have to ask yourself, “Is this repair worth it? Or should I replace the whole furnace?”. Well, this all depends on how old your furnace is. The fact is, repairing a cracked heat exchanger is expensive, and if you can, you should probably replace the furnace.

Why Buy A New Furnace?

How old is your current furnace? Is it over 10 years old? If so, instead of throwing money at furnace repair after furnace repair, you would be wiser to invest in a newer more efficient furnace. The fact is, newer furnaces are much more efficient than older models which means that they cost less money to operate. Who doesn’t like a lower heating bill?  Next, new furnaces such as those made by Amana, offer unbeatable warranties. For example, if you purchase a new Amana furnace and 15 years from now your heat exchanger cracks, Amana will replace your furnace. So in theory, you never have to buy a furnace again! When you consider the monthly heating cost savings and the benefits of modern warranty protection, you really can’t go wrong with replacing your furnace.

If you have been told by a furnace repair company in Chicago, IL that you have a cracked heat exchanger, give the furnace repair experts at Polar Heating And Air Conditioning a call. We offer FREE 2nd opinions on all furnace repair service. We also, install Amana furnace equipment if you decide to replace. If you have decided that you wish to replace your furnace, contact us today to schedule a FREE Estimate.