Im new to the industry but have developed a habit of holding the access door open with a screwdriver and the back of my other hand just far enough back to feel for a heat change when the blower kicks on after servicing and firing older oil furnaces. Well last month while servicing a customers unit I had the hair burnt off my hand when the blower kicked on and advised the customer of a crack. Well the customer called the company that installed the unit inquiring about the warranty and they came out charged the elderly lady $90.00 and told her there is no crack. Im concerned for her safety and am going back next week with the owner of the company to check again, Ive never used the smoke bombs before but will next week and would like to know just how bad a crack has to be for this method to work? Thanks for any input
The easiest way I have found to find a crack in the combustion chamber of an oil furnace is to pull the blower, turn the lights out, turn the furnace on, if it has a crack or hole in the combustion chamber I guarantee you will see it.
Now remember, this does not hold true if the crack is way up in the heat exchanger.
Obviously you did not find the crack or did not look after having your hand burned, which you should have, you may or may not have a crack, you have to find it also.
The correct way to find a bad heat exchanger on an oil furnace is to check flue content either CO2 or O2 will surfice. Check and record with fan off and then again with fan on any variance equals bad heat exchanger. Usually CO2 goes down and O2 goes up. Inspection scope will help verifiy the hole. Get out your contract and sell the job right there, get the deposit and do the job. Merry Christmas to all.
WE LIVE IN THE LAND OF THE FREE,
ONLY BECAUSE OF THE BRAVE
The correct way to find a bad heat exchanger on an oil furnace is to check flue content either CO2 or O2 will surfice. Check and record with fan off and then again with fan on any variance equals bad heat exchanger. Usually CO2 goes down and O2 goes up. Inspection scope will help verifiy the hole. Get out your contract and sell the job right there, get the deposit and do the job. Merry Christmas to all.
IMO, Chauncey here is right on the money. Use your combustion analyzer and watch for the O2 change. You can see it change immediately when the blower comes on. He's right on target. Get out the contract and get it signed. No insurance company will pay off if the house soots and the unit was diagnosed with a crack or hole. But the inspection door method is truly bogus. Mind 'beenthere's comment about the blower sucking the exhaust out the inspection door in a tight room. That's the main reason the inspection door theory can't hold water. O2 and the analyzer no one can pick on. Solid evidence. FYI, they can also find burned out baffles in oil units. High stack temps when the burner is set to factory specs will show that and that's a big waste of oil at todays prices.
If YOU want change, YOU have to first change.
If you are waiting for the 'other guy' to change first, just remember, you're the 'other guy's' other guy. To continue to expect real change when you keep acting the same way as always, is folly. Won't happen. Real change will only happen when a majority of the people change the way they vote!
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Originally Posted by in-trane-ing
