Cracked Heat Exchanger

SIDrywall

I have been seeing a black residue around the registers in my house. Does this mean that I have a cracked heat exchanger? Can it mean anything else?

greghvacguy

Its hard to say you should get your HVAC GUY in to look at the furnace. If you burn candals it can be from that.

LNG24

Funny, just two weeks ago I checked on one of our Managed Properties we just remodeled and saw the black soot around the registers. Sure enough, Cracked Heat Exchanger!

We had a new furnace installed within two days.

I went back a week later and found...OIL! Leaking out of the unit. House smelled horrible

Brand New Unit had a cracked pump. I personally think it was cracked during install.

Now we are all good

westernhvac

It could be black soot deposition. Fireplaces, candles, cooking... they are all burning carbon. When this floats around in the air it will collect on surfaces of different temperatures at different rates. I can't remember if it is attracted to warm or cold surfaces.

Then again... check the heat exchanger just to be safe.

flashheatingand

It could be some leaky duct work as well.

A.D. Const

Well might be a long shot, but to be possitive. Dirty filters or ducts? He said black residue not soot. Then again it might be soot, if that the case then I'll agree with posts above.

SIDrywall

Thank you for the help. I appreciate the feedback!!