Hey everyone! I'm selling my house and the inspector flagged my 19-year-old furnace for having high CO levels in the flue. I'm wondering if there's anything specific I can repair or replace to fix this issue. I've never had heating problems before, but a technician suggested I should just replace the whole system. What do you all think? Thanks!
6 Answers
Could you share the make and model of your furnace?
Absolutely, a furnace can often be repaired! My furnace is actually 75 years old and we've managed to keep it running with some repairs. It's definitely possible to fix it, but you should consider the cost-effectiveness of repairs versus a full replacement.
Have you had your furnace cleaned lately? Dirty burners can lead to poor combustion, impacting CO levels. Typically, you can check if the jets are burning blue—lots of yellow flickers could indicate an issue. Just popping the front off should help you see that.
Sure, everything can usually be repaired, but the question is if it's worth it. What did the technician exactly say was wrong? Many HVAC companies might push for a new unit instead of a repair. You might want to call a couple of places to compare opinions on whether your furnace can be fixed at a reasonable price.
Not sure I get the issue. Shouldn't the exhaust gases be going through the flue?
Right, it seems like it's producing more CO than it should, indicating improper fuel burning. This can cause CO to leak in ways that the vent isn't capturing.
If the technician gave you a clear diagnosis, it's possible they thought the repair costs would be close to the cost of a new unit, suggesting replacement might be the better option. However, sometimes they might just not want to take the time to troubleshoot thoroughly. You might want to get a second opinion from another technician!
The tech wasn't exactly clear—he suggested it might be the heat exchanger or the blower fan, but he couldn't guarantee a fix without replacing them first.